Worksop: Gritters on standby as temperatures plunge across Notts

Although the weather so far this year has been much milder than usual, weather forecasts for today and tomorrow are predicting possible wintry showers with temperatures falling below freezing overnight in clearer spells allowing icy patches to form.

The forecast for Thursday night is for clear skies which, again, could allow frost and ice to develop in places.

Last year the first severe weather hit Nottinghamshire on January 9 and from then until early April the County Council’s gritting teams were kept busy helping to keep Nottinghamshire on the move during what was a particularly long and cold winter.

By April, gritting teams had completed over 130 salting runs and a stretch in late March of 20 consecutive nights out on the roads – both new records for the County Council – and a 72-hour marathon over one weekend alone.

The number of times Notts roads have been gritted this year is much lower but the gritting teams have not been idle. When not out salting the roads, the teams have taken advantage of the mild weather to concentrate on checking, filling and topping up the 1,200 yellow salt bins situated around the county at crucial spots.

The yellow bins are provided and maintained by the County Council where a nearby road is very exposed and severely affected by winter weather, where there is a hazardous junction or where there are lots of pedestrians, especially older, very young or disabled people.

Throughout the winter the County Council, wherever possible, keeps them filled up with grit which can be used on local roads and footways – but not private driveways.

Residents can get up-to-date information about the Council’s services during severe weather by:

- checking the County Council website at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk

- sign up to Twitter at www.twitter.com and then follow @nottscc

- visit the Council’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nottscc

- call the County Council’s customer service centre on 0300 500 8080

- listen to local radio and check the local press.