HERTFORDSHIRE County Council
Highways and Transport Panel Briefing Note 11-01-10
SEVERE WEATHER 2009/10
Report of the Network Manager.
- PURPOSE OF REPORT
1.1The purpose of this note is to providean updateon the recent severe weather event.
- Current Position
- WeatherMeteorological experts are describing this as the longest period of nearly continuous cold weather for nearly 30 years. We have been working nearly every night since 15thDecember. A particular feature is that snow has lain because of the exceptionally low temperatures, and not thawed during the day. What this means for the effectiveness of treatments is discussed below.
2.2ActionsSince the 15th of Decemberthere have been 30 pre salting runs on the priority networks, carried out in accordance with our Winter Service Operational Plan (WSOP). Plus multiple actions of ploughing and repeat treatment especially on the A41, A414, A505. We have also mobilised the Districts and farmers to assist in high priority footway and ploughing operations.
2.3Salt UsageWe use around 300 tonnes per outing so have used around 9000 tonnes just on main-line salting. We have used further salt hand salting footpaths and re-treating hot spots, and salting secondary routes. Overall we have used well over 12,000 tonnes. Salt shortages and conserving salt have been a major problem this season as last.
2.4We have sourced other materials such as pure white salt, white salt /sand mix and rock salt/ sand mix, and have used these materials both in our normal salting runs and for footways and salt bins. As well as support early in the period, last week wemade available 10 tonnes per District Council for priority footway clearance. We have sourced further stocks of these materials which are being delivered this week.
2.5Salt stocks As of this morningwe have 450 tonnes. We are reporting this stock level into the national salt “cell”. We have been told to expect a further delivery of 350 tonnes today(Tuesday 12th Jan).
2.6One oft-quoted norm for the south of England is to hold minimum stocks for six days’ heavy gritting, which in our case would be a maximum of 3,600 tonnes. We started the winter with 11,600.
2.7Inter-Agency Working The Duty officers have attended snow desks at Police HQ on the three nights when snowfalls have been heaviest and road conditions the worst. It has taken very close co-operation with the Police to keep the most exposed roads open and return them to service when this has not been possible. With the exception of one morning when abandoned vehicles were a problem, the A41 has been kept open for peak hours.
2.8As noted below, after a few early teething troubles, the joint arrangements for calling on assistance from District and Borough councillors have repaid the effort put in over the summer. We have tried jointly to get and keep the footways and pedestrian areas in major shopping centres in as good condition as possible, especially during the run-up to Christmas.
- Resource
- Each run takes around 2.5 hours on the road plus another 1.5 hours to prepare and complete. With the various non-standard actions, we have undertaken approximately 12,000-15,000 man hours of work.
3.2Estimated cost of all Winter activities up to 7th January is£2.1Mor about £ 1.1Mabove budget forecast to that date.
- National “Salt Cell”/Reduced Network
4.1As from Monday 11 January we will be operating a reduced salting/gritting Network as advisedby Government and enforced through their national control of deliveries (the “Salt Cell” system). This will reduce our priority network coverage to about 1000km, and our salt usage accordingly.
4.2We have developed the reduced network plans in consultation with the Police, Fire and Ambulance services and have ensured that the access routes to main bus depots and hospitals are part of this reduced network.
4.3Information about the change has been loaded onto Hertsdirect, put out by Press Release and by interview on local radio, and circulated to MPs and key partners.
4.4The Minister has stated that stricter measuresto conserve salt than the previously agreed “25% reduction” are likely to be necessary. We have already had to take measures to conserve salt which has taken us below this recommended level of usage. We estimate that our daily salt usage is now about a third of what our published plans would lead us to anticipate for these conditions. By necessity, we have cut out of our treated network some ‘C’ roads which carry more traffic than many ‘A’ roads elsewhere in the country. We have made Government aware of this and that our view is that we cannot and will not reduce further until other areas of the country are at a similar level of service.
- Forecast
- The forecast for the next 5 days is that of more marginal temperatures than of late. Where snow melts, we can expect the salt which is on the road to be washed off and to need replenishing on a nightly basis. However, the forecasters’ confidence level for all predictions is low, and we cannot be sure that this is what will happen.
- Issues
- The duration of this cold weather period is a major cause of the difficulties we are in, we have been working virtually continuously since 15th of December – twice as long as last February, and the coldest period for nearly 30 years (1981,82). Although the resupply system has been poor, and has not fulfilled the commitments made following last winter, the extent and severity of the cold weather would have caused major problems regardless of any failings in it.
6.2Salt is the best material we have but it is not very effective during snow conditions. The very low temperatures we experienced last week have made it less effective: some individuals have suggested therefore that we havenot been spreading, but it has been there. The current easing of temperatures is seeing some snow clearing as the traffic gets to working the salt in.
6.3We have had difficulty accessing some roads in urbanareas because of parked and abandoned cars. In relevantcases we have been hand salting theseroads since the week before Christmas.
6.4We expect to have to review the treated network in light of this winter’s experience and the Scrutiny recommendations from last April.
6.5Joint working with the Districts & Boroughs has been markedly better than lastFebruary and in many places a fully cooperative approach has been evident from the start.
6.6We are seeing pothole damage to the network and have begun immediate repairs where safety requires it. It is far too early to make a proper assessment, even of short-term damage. In current weather conditions, with a lot of grit, salt and snow around, we cannot expect any repairs to be anything other than temporary.
- INFORMATION
7.1All of the information about the winter service operations and a copy of the WSOP can be found on the County Council’s website Hertsdirect at:
- RECOMMENDATIONS
8.1Continued support during this period of extreme weather and the subsequent recovery of the network.
- CONTACT OFFICERS
Derek Twigg Assistant Network Manager 01707 356565
Steve Johnson Head of Network Management 01707 356467
Vince Gilbert Head of Herts Highways01707 356460