Recent overnight frosts remind us that we are approaching the time of year when adverse weather could affect driving conditions on the trunk and minor roads we need to use in and around Bury so here is an update on the current winter maintenance programme.
During winter snow and ice conditions, gritting and snow clearance of the county’s trunk roads such as the A27, A23 and M23 is the responsibility of Highways England. The role of West Sussex County Council’s Highways Division is to keep the county’s other key priority routes – A and B roads, plus other roads of local importance – safe and passable during bad weather.
WSCC’s Winter Service Network routes cover 1,690km of roads and include access to airports, major bus routes, police stations, ambulance stations, fire stations, A&E hospitals and large industrial establishments. WSCC do this using 20 gritters, to which they can attach snow ploughs when required. There are 19 routes that take around three hours each to complete.
It is not possible for West Sussex Highways to grit or clear snow from all other roads, footways or cycle ways so parishes such as Bury are provided with a number of roadside salt bins enabling residents to spread grit at strategic places such as inclines and junctions. There are two salt bins in Bury, one in Houghton Lane just down from The Square and the other at the top of The Street opposite Old London Road – and two in West Burton, one adjacent to the parish council board and the other at Hale Hill. All four bins are currently full.
