Dudley Council announces downgrade to gritting measures after snowfall

Changes to the authority’s winter maintenance service will see a range of measures brought in,  including not annually refilling grit bins – a service that currently costs £60,000.

Grit bins within 25 metres of a highway gritting route or deemed no longer needed will be removed and requests for a bin refill will be individually assessed. 

Councillor Damian Corfield, Dudley cabinet member highways and environment, said: “Our winter maintenance programme is in place to help residents, road users and commuters move about as safely as possible and minimise delays caused by adverse weather conditions.

“Over recent years we’ve seen milder winters and had fewer residents using the grit bins in their local communities.

“For the time being we are ceasing the introduction of new grit bins, and the re-filling of grit bins will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors including its location, gradient and history of incidents and how often it is being used and this will be reviewed over the coming winter season. 

“No grit bin will be removed during this winter season.”

The winter maintenance service costs Dudley £676,000 each year and council officers say there has been a reduction in members of the public helping to salt highways due to fewer big freezes and a change in general social behaviour.

Nick McGurk, Dudley’s Director of Environment said: “Officers recognise that long standing methods, procedures, and services no longer meet the demands of the service and are costly additions to a very comprehensive winter maintenance service.”

The council currently has 1,090 grit bins around the borough and keeps a stock of 65,000 tonnes of salt for treating roads although, unless there is an extreme winter, it only uses a fraction of that amount.