The county council's aim is to make the roads in Northumberland as safe as is practical and ensure you can travel with a minimum of delay and disruption during severe winter weather.
Find out about the action we take to make the roads in Northumberland as safe as possible and minimise delays and disruption during severe winter weather. Get a guided tour around one of our state-of-the art new gritters.
During periods of severe weather, updates on road conditions, gritting and snow ploughing can be found on the alerts page or through facebook.com/nccalerts or Twitter:@northumberlands.
Grit bins are available on selected steep hills, verges, sharp bends and near steps, particularly where routine gritting does not happen. We supply 1,600 bins for the public to use, which we restock as often as possible during the winter. You can use the grit provided to clear snow and ice from pavements around your home, making paths safer and easier to use.
Follow the government’s guidelines on clearing snow from roads, paths and cycleways to do this safely.
Grit provided should not be used for treating private property.
When snow falls in excess of 50mm, with possible drifting, snowploughs attached to gritters will be used. Snowblowers and other specialist machines are also sometimes used. In severe snow conditions it’s not possible to clear all the roads at once, so we prioritise roads in the following order:
principal roads - cleared to a minimum two-lane width
roads into towns and villages - at least one road into each to allow for access to the cleared major roads
major town centres
Snow clearance on other roads will only take place when the higher priority roads have been cleared, which may take several days.
Snow clearance on footpaths
As resources become available, we also clear the most used footpaths. We have created a footpath network of four categories, based on their usage. Category one footpaths will be cleared first and you can see the various networks on the maps below:
We routinely grit a network of 29 main routes to combat overnight frost and ice. We also grit busy footpaths, car parks and shopping areas during persistent icy weather conditions. Our route is planned so treated roads can be reached within:
Principal bus routes and distributor roads with steep approaches to main road junctions are also treated as a priority. Second priority roads will be gritted when widespread ice is expected to continue through the day and in light snow falls. These roads include:
We don’t plough or grit the A1 and A19. National Highways is responsible for those roads – call 0300 1235000. Further information can be found at National Highways - National Highways
In severe and wintry weather, it's even more important to plan your journey. The Highways Agency provides up-to-the-minute traffic reports for its network of 4,300 miles of motorways and major A roads across England. Road safety - National Highways to see:
Remember: never stop on the hard shoulder to do this and never use your mobile phone while driving. Follow the National Highways Twitter channels, @HighwaysNEast over the festive period. They’ll help you prepare for your winter journey with reminders and traffic updates. Check weather updates Take weather conditions into account when planning your route, by visiting the Met Office website or listening to local radio broadcasts. Timing Always allow extra time in severe weather. Listen to warnings or advice and consider whether your journey is essential. Check your planned route at the National Highways website where you can find up-to-date traffic information.
Check your vehicle is in good running order before you set out and consider regular servicing to help minimise the risk. POWDERY checklist for safe winter driving Use this POWDERY checklist as a good reminder:
If you are planning to travel with pets, ensure animals are safe and secure and will not be a distraction to people travelling in your vehicle.
Travelling in severe weather - National Highways
Carry an emergency kit Gather together the following items and pack them in your vehicle at the start of the winter season:
Find out how you can make your tyres safe in poor conditions. How to keep your tyres safe in winter Cold temperatures, damp roads, snow and ice all reduce a tyre's ability to grip the road properly, leading to longer stopping distances and a higher risk of accident. The safest option is to fit winter weather tyres, which are specifically designed to provide extra grip and improved levels of safety at temperatures lower than 7°C. Tread depth should be checked to ensure it is well above the legal minimum of 1.6m. TyreSafe has developed the 20p test for a simple and quick way to test your tyres' tread depth. Tyre pressures should be checked every two weeks and before a long journey. Pressures should be checked when the tyres have travelled less than two miles against the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended levels. When checking tyre pressure, give the rest of the tyre a thorough visual inspection for signs of damage. Look for any cuts, cracks, bulges or embedded objects. If you are in any doubt, speak to a professional.
For more information, visit the TyreSafe website.
By carrying out voluntary snow warden duties you will be helping to keep your community safer during severe winter conditions. In return we will provide you with a snow warden kit which comprises of a snow shovel, bag of salt/grit, a thermal hat with a head torch, a pair of thermal gloves and a hi-vis vest.
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