Why might some streets not get cleared of snow this winter in the strath?

Local Highland councillors have approved the roads priorities for treatment for this coming winter with a plea thrown in to keep pavements clear of cars when the snow falls.

There are five gritters and four footpath tractors to cover Badenoch and Strathspey’s local roads network and streets.

Member of Badenoch and Strathspey’s area committee approved the winter service plan at their latest meeting at Kingussie’s courthouse.

As part of that, households were asked to be considerate where they park their cars when snow is forecast or it could mean stretches of paths not being treated.

Councillor Muriel Cockburn said: “Sometimes I think we do not do our communication well and we need to make it clear that people who park on the pavements make it impossible for the pavement gritters to do their job.

“As a result we get complaints about paths not being cleared.

“I think we also have to emphasis what roads and streets do not get done but will do when there is the opportunity.

“We have communities which are not on primary routes and people start to get a bit angry.”

Councillor Bill Lobban said: “I think our staff do a tremendous job (in the winter) and I think they should be complemented.”

Area committee chairman Councillor Russell Jones asked local road bosses if there were enough contractors on the stand-by list in the event of severe wintry weather.

Steven Grant, the council’s roads operations manager for Inverness, Nairn and Badenoch and Strathspey, said: “We have enough to get by at the moment but we will be looking for more.

“The longer the list the more resources we can get especially if we have a bad winter.”

Primary routes are treated first, thereafter secondary routes and then all other routes being treated as resources permit.

The council publishes ‘Winter Services’ leaflets for each operational area providing the public with information on snow clearing and gritting of council roads along with maps showing the priority attributed to individual roads.

In the strath there is a council roads operations manager, a roads officer and a roads inspector along with a roads foreperson and nine operatives.

Operatives normally allocated to grounds maintenance and street sweeping are used to tackle icy footpaths in winter.

There are five gritters and four footpath tractors at their disposal to keep the roads and streets of the strath as clear as possible.

All operations begin at 6am and can continue to 9pm.

Treatments consist of the application of pure salt or occasionally salt and sand mix and where required blading or ploughing snow from the road surface.

The average annual usage of salt for the area is approximately 2,500 tonnes.

Mr Grant said in his report: “Although the occurrence of snow lying on the roads has reduced, ice and frost remain prevalent especially on the higher routes.”

BEAR Scotland is responsible for keeping the A9 and other trunk roads open in the strath.

Winter road and street clearing priorities for the strath can be seen here.

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