‘Know the gritting priorities in your area this winter’ – Inverness

The priorities by which The Highland Council will treat roads in Inverness city and area this winter have been approved with no significant changes to the previous year’s policy.

Each year area committees put in place a Winter Maintenance Plan to cover local operational service priorities within existing allocated budgets and resources.

At the City of Inverness Area Committee meeting today (Thursday 26 August 2021) Councillors approved the 2021/22 winter maintenance plan for the area which includes priority road lists and maps showing the priority gritting routes. The gritting priority of the Upper Slackbuie, Inverness road has been changed from ‘Other’ to the higher ‘Secondary’ priority.

In line with operations last year, the treatment of roads will be carried out based on a hierarchical system dependant on route priority and the gritting services will operate 7 days a week including Saturdays and Sundays.

Primary routes are treated first, followed by secondary routes and crews will only move on to treat other roads when the primary and secondary routes are all completed. The council is well prepared with sufficient stocks of salt in its depots.

Provost of Inverness and Area Cllr Helen Carmichael said: “We urge people living in Inverness area to know the Council’s gritting priorities around their homes this winter. Check out the gritting priority maps now that are on the Council’s website at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting and find out what the gritting arrangements are for where you live.

“The Council is encouraging communities to ‘self-help’ as much as possible and to generate awareness of people within their community that may need assistance from neighbours in clearing snow and ice or possibly shopping or accessing health and social services during extreme weather conditions. Don’t wait until it snows or gets icy – apply now and be ready for winter.

“The Council’s ‘’Winter Resilience’’ scheme allows communities to submit an application via their community council to carry out footway gritting operations within an agreed area with the Council providing salt/grit, bins, scrapers and reflective waistcoats.”

Applications for the Winter Resilience scheme and the Council’s winter service policy and area gritting route maps are on the Council’s web site at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting