RESIDENTS may think they are seeing things next week – Worcestershire County Council’s gritters are ready to take to the roads.
With temperatures having reached the mid to high 20s in the last few days and forecast to get even hotter at the weekend and early next week, people may think the spreaders would be the last thing they would encounter.
But road surfaces, although very resilient, can melt when the air temperature gets above 30°C – and with Monday predicted to be 33°C and Tuesday 34°C across the county, that could certainly be an issue.
The gritting vehicles will spread light dusting of crushed stone, instead of the traditional salt, to soak up excess tar and reduces the chances of road surfaces melting by reflecting a larger amount of the sun’s rays.
Coun Mike Rouse, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways and Transport at Worcestershire County Council said, “Snow and ice are the last things on most people’s minds in July and so people could be surprised at seeing our gritters out on the roads in the middle of summer.”
“However, our teams are once again playing a vital role in keeping the county’s roads safe for motorists.
“This positive approach helps reduce the potential damage high temperatures can inflict on our roads, so keeping them safe and limiting disruption.
We will continue to monitor road temperatures and carry out inspections.
“Once the weather cools, we will address any permanent repairs if required”
While road temperatures are being closely monitored, Worcestershire County Council is asking residents to report any issues to them www.worcestershire.gov.uk/reportit
