Gritting crews move onto ‘secondary priority’ routes in Preston

Gritting crews have now been treating ‘second priority routes’ in the city and county.

Lancashire County Council says the fleet, which worked through the night after temperatures plummeted on Tuesday evening, have now gritted many minor routes and side roads.

The county council has a list of priority routes, including roads such as the A6 and A582, that it keeps open despite ice and snow.

The fleet of 45 gritters can treat 1,500 miles of the county council’s priority road network within around four hours.

The city has seen temperatures plummet throughout the week Pic: Louise Mason

During Wednesday (23 January) as temperatures remained barely above freezing, they moved onto secondary priority routes.

The secondary routes mostly cover roads in urban areas which are gritted when possible to improve access during continuous ice and snow.

Green lines are primary routes which are gritted, purple lines are secondary routes. Blue lines for motorways which are always gritted.

Cabinet member for highways and transport county councillor Keith Iddon said: Our gritting crews have been very busy over recent days, and the last 24 hours in particular.

“The main routes were treated a number of times yesterday and overnight, but we know conditions were still difficult in places due to the continuous wintry showers, and on roads which are not treated as a priority.

“We do everything we can to keep traffic moving on priority roads and we are open about the fact we cannot grit every road in Lancashire. Even if we had the resources needed we couldn’t grit them quickly enough to make a real difference.

“No council does this and its important people understand there are limitations to the service we can provide. Even roads which have been gritted can remain icy and everyone needs to drive according to the conditions. We’d ask people to allow extra time for their journey and be extra careful even on treated roads.

“We’re treating the second priority routes today, and the main routes again this evening. I’d also remind everyone to think about how they park to make sure there’s room for a gritter to get past.”

The Met Office has an ice warning in force for Preston, and Lancashire, through until 11am on Thursday (24 January).

You can check if your road or route is being gritted using the county council’s map.

You can keep up to date with the roads by joining Preston’s traffic and travel Facebook group.