Decision details

To confirm the arrangements for precautionary salting on roads and the arrangements for winter maintenance, including the extent of the network to be treated.

I approve that:

(i)            The group 1 roads should continue as a basis for a precautionary salting network, (as shown on Appendix 1) and that any additions to this, if conditions so dictated, would be to progressively treat and plough as much of the highway network as resources allow in a priority order.

(ii)          The changes being made to operations in response to Appendix H of ‘Well Maintained Highways - Code of Good Practice for Highways Maintenance’ as set out in this report be noted.

(iii)         The Council’s precautionary road salting policy should be reviewed after a revised Code of Practice is published.

This decision was published on 31 October 2014 and will come into force on 8 November 2014.           

The Council’s precautionary salting network and policy have been developed over many years, and have proved to be effective.  The objectives of Wiltshire Council’s winter maintenance arrangements are to ensure, as far as is “reasonably practicable” within the appropriate resource level, the safe movement of traffic on the highway network in a systematic and priority based manner.  The intention is to minimise delay and incidents that could be attributable to adverse weather conditions for road users throughout the winter period. The recommendations of Appendix H of ‘Well Maintained Highways - Code of Good Practice for Highways Maintenance’ have been reviewed and improvements, as described in the report, are being introduced to the Council’s winter maintenance procedures.

Reducing the extent of winter precautionary salting on the road network would reduce costs, but could have safety implications as the extent of salted network has not changed significantly for many years.  Increasing the lengths of road treated would require additional vehicles, operatives and salt, which is not considered realistic in the current financial climate.  Meeting the full recommendations set out in Appendix H of ‘Well Maintained Highways - Code of Good Practice for Highways Maintenance’ would have limited benefits and would have significant cost and resource implications.

Consultation has been undertaken with officers involved in the day-to-day management of the highway network and winter maintenance, and discussions have taken place with other highway authorities and specialist contractors regarding the implications of Appendix H of ‘Well Maintained Highways - Code of Good Practice for Highways Maintenance’.