Winter and gritting FAQs

Other road gritting queries

When will my road be cleared of snow?

We clear snow in the same way grit roads, but when snow is present it can take longer. This means we may be delayed in clearing the secondary and tertiary road networks.

There are other factors that impact our activity during snow, such as the:

  • duration of the snow event
  • volume of snow dropped
  • wind conditions which may lead to drifting, and freshly ploughed snow being blown back onto the road.

Can I make a special request for my road to be gritted or cleared of snow?

We’re unable to divert resources from their planned operations unless there is an immediate and significant health or welfare concern.

You can use our online form to let us know about your immediate and significant concerns, and someone will contact you as soon as possible. 

This may not result in your road being gritted or cleared of snow, but we may be able to provide other advice or support until the weather conditions improve.

Will you grit my road if I have an emergency?

Emergency services will contact us directly if they require assistance from us in an emergency. 

Can I request my road to be gritted if I’m a key worker, or an older person who can’t get out?

We have already identified our primary gritting routes through our winter service plan. Our gritters are dedicated to those routes initially, moving on to the secondary routes where time, weather conditions and resources allow.

While we would aim to have good accessible network of roads every day, when we experience prolonged periods of snow we have to focus on the primary routes to keep the majority of residents moving.

Unfortunately, we’re therefore unable to consider specific roads to accommodate certain groups of people. 

The time of gritting doesn’t suit me because I’m a shift worker

Gritting is carried out to benefit the majority of road users. During winter weather everyone should moderate their driving to the road conditions. For those travelling late at night or early in the morning it is advised to make use of primary routes wherever possible.

Why is the gritter not spreading grit while it’s driving?

There can be a number of reasons why the gritter isn’t spreading when it’s travelling, for example where it’s:

  • completed a route and is travelling back to the depot
  • travelling to the start of a route or road to be treated
  • on a section of road that has already been gritted

Why has the gritter only gritted one side of the road?

The spreading mechanism on the gritter is designed to spread grit on both sides of the road at the same time.

Can the Council clear private roads, carparks or driveways?

No, our resources are deployed to meet the legal obligations placed upon us by the Roads Scotland Act to manage the public road network.

We also don’t have the resources available to clear private roads, private carparks and driveways.

Why has my road not been cleared of snow when the gritter came round last week when there wasn’t any snow?

When there’s continuous periods of snow fall, priority is given to keeping primary routes clear. This means that we may have to clear those routes more than once and therefore might not reach the secondary or tertiary routes.

In icy conditions roads don’t generally have to be treated more than once during the day and so we’re able to cover more of the network. 

The plough has left a pile of snow across my driveway

Unfortunately, this is unavoidable during periods of snow as drivers don’t have the time to stop and clear individual driveways as they go. 

We would therefore kindly ask anyone who can, to play their part and clear the snow themselves. If you can’t clear the snow yourself or don’t have anyone to help you, we may be able to help if you have an urgent health or welfare concern. You can find out if we can help by completing our online form.

Can my road be added to the primary gritting routes?

The current primary routes were established and agreed through a comprehensive consultation and evaluation process.

You can complete our online form to request your road be considered for possible inclusion in primary routes for future years, and you’ll need to explain why you think your road should be on a primary route.

These requests will not be responded to individually but will be considered as part of the next major Winter Service review.

Is it safe to travel on a particular road?

You can find the most up to date information about whether it’s safe to travel from the following websites. You should always drive according to the road conditions.

How much do you spend each year on gritting and other winter services?

Our budget allocation for providing a winter service is £3.41m.

Can local contractors help by gritting or ploughing snow?

We have an approved framework of contractors that assist with winter maintenance when required.

That framework is closed to new contractors currently and is not due to re-open until 2024.

Find out about how to become an approved contractor.

Can a member of the public help their local community?

Yes, there’s a lot that members of the public can do to help their communities. You can check our Resilient Communities webpage for information on how to get involved.

I’m a cyclist, what about me?

As a cyclist you should:

  • take into account the weather and road conditions before deciding to travel
  • make yourself aware of the primary gritting routes and use these if possible

Why don’t you grit my cul-de-sac?

We aim to treat all roads but must do so on a priority basis. 

Gritting a cul-de-sac wouldn’t have any benefit to the wider network as it only serves the houses in that cul-de-sac. 

This means they have a far lower priority and therefore may remain untreated during poor weather conditions until resources are available.