Gritting continues

The Council's gritting teams will continue to work throughout the weekend to keep main roads clear across the borough but are warning local residents that side routes will not be treated.

However, the 313 salt bins spread across the borough will all be refilled with a mixture of grit and sand.

The authority is attempting to conserve stocks because it has used 900 tonnes since Monday and is now awaiting further deliveries.

Supplies have been getting through to Rotherham regularly, but with mounting pressure on salt companies because of the wide-spread bad weather, stocks are now dwindling.

The Council's Streetpride officers are obviously working to ensure further supplies continue to be delivered to us both this week or early next week. 

All 12 salting vehicles have been continually in use since before Christmas. During this week's very bad conditions they have even resorted to unorthodox methods - such as reversing uphill - to keep main and bus routes open.

Over the last week (until Thursday am) the Council has used 900 tonnes over its 500 km (over 300 miles) network of main roads and bus routes. On Tuesday (January 5) for example, crews worked flat out completing five runs through the day and night.

Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Cllr Richard Russell, said: "We obviously need to take care with our supplies to ensure our main routes are kept open throughout the weekend - when our gritting teams will once again be endeavouring to keep the roads clear.

"Our gritting teams have been doing a fantastic job in some terrible conditions. They have been working every day since the week before Christmas and some have been working 12-hour shifts. On top of that they have also been assisting our refuse collections to ensure they can get through."