Blackpool Council – Operation Snowdrop – Winter Maintenance Plan 2010/11
BLACKPOOLCOUNCIL
Blackpool Services
Operation Snowdrop2010/11
CONTENTS
Introduction...... 3
Policy Statement...... 3
Winter Maintenance Activities...... 3
Pre Salting ...... 3
Road Hierarchy ...... 4
Snow Clearance...... 5
Legal Responsibilities...... 5
Responsible Officer...... 6
Decision for Treatment...... 6
Forecasting and Planning...... 7
Response Time...... 7
Plants and Equipment...... 7
Rock Salt Supplies...... 8
Spreading Rates...... 8
Performance Monitoring...... 9
Media Communication ...... 9
Primary Routes ...... Appendix A
Secondary Routes – North and South...... Appendix B
Rock Salt Bin Locations...... Appendix C
Distribution List
Leader of the Council
/Party Leaders
Cabinet Members
/Executive Directors
Heads of Service
/Council Website
Public Libraries
/Police
AA and RAC
/Blackpool Transport
Ambulance Service
/Fire Service
Freight Transport Association
/Wyre Council
Fylde Council
/Lancashire County Council
Highways Agency
/PCT
Primary and Secondary Schools
INTRODUCTION
This document sets out the Council’s plan for dealing with issues arising from cold weather inthe winter season. It sets out:
- The methods employed to alleviate and mitigate winter conditions on the roads in Blackpool;
- The standards of service we aim to provide; the chain of responsibility; the procedures to ensure effective response.
The document will be updated annually to take into account changes to legislation, public demandand highway conditions generally.
POLICY STATEMENT
Blackpool Council provides a winter service in order to facilitate a safertravelling environment for all highway users and to minimize disruption to road users especiallywhere this may have a negative economic impact. The service is delivered by Blackpool Services.
The ‘highway’ denotes the network of roads across the Borough that fall within the responsibility of the highway authority.
Given the scale of financial and other resources involved in delivering the winter service it is notpractically possible to:
- Provide the service on all parts of the network
- Ensure running surfaces are kept free of ice or snow at all times, even on the treated parts ofthe network.
WINTER MAINTENACE ACTIVITIES
The winter service is available throughout the year but is put on standby from the first week ofNovember to the last week of March, this standby period is denoted ‘Operation Snowdrop’.
PRE SALTING (known as Rock Salt or Grit Salt)
Salt is spread on the highway following warnings of low temperatures. The purpose of the saltis to reduce the likelihood of ice forming on the road. The Council does not have the resources to treat all roads in the Borough.
Selected roads havebeen classified ‘primary’ or ‘secondary’;
- Primary route roads are treated within 4 hours of beingnotified of potentially hazardous conditions
- Secondary route roads are treated duringparticularly severe or hazardous conditions, at the discretion of the winter service manager.
Note that no footways or off road cycleways are pre salted ordinarily. However during prolonged periods of severe weather consideration will be given where resources allow.
ROAD HIERARCHY
The road hierarchy system within Blackpool is defined in the Code of Practice for Highway Maintenance Management as follows.
Category / Hierarchy Description / Type of Road General Description / Detailed Description1 / Strategic Route / Routes for fast moving long distance traffic with little frontage access or pedestrian traffic. Speed limits are usually in excess of 30mph and there are few junctions. Pedestrian crossings are either segregated or controlled and parked vehicles are generally prohibited.
2 / Main Distributor / Major urban network and inter-primary links. Short – medium distance traffic. Principal A roads. / Routes between strategic routes and linking urban centres to the strategic network with limited frontage access. In urban areas speed limits are usually 30mph, 20mph, or less, parking is restricted at peak times and there are positive measures for pedestrian safety.
3 / Secondary Distributor / Classified road (B and C class) and unclassified urban bus routes carrying local traffic with frontage access and frequent junctions. / In built up areas these roads have 30mph speed limits and very high levels of pedestrian activity with some crossing facilities including zebra crossings. On-street parking is generally unrestricted except for safety reasons.
4 / Link Road / Roads linking between the main and secondary distributor network with frontage access and frequent junctions / In urban areas they are residential or industrial inter-connecting roads with 30mph speed limits random pedestrian movements and uncontrolled parking.
5 / Local Access Road / Roads serving limited numbers of properties carrying only access traffic / In rural areas these roads serve small settlements and provide access to individual properties and land. They are often only single lane width and unsuitable for HGV. In urban areas they are often residential loop roads or cul-de-sacs.
The Primary precautionary salting network comprises:
- All Category 1 and Category 2 roads.
- Approaches to emergency services base stations and hospitals are also included in the primary salting network.
- All diversionary routes as a result of the promenade closures are covered in the Primary and Secondary routes.
- All “Red Routes” are covered in the primary and Secondary Routes.
The treatment of the elevated section of Yeadon Way will be increased to a double pre-salt, e.g. 10 grams per square metre spread rate will be 20g/m2.
The Secondary salting network comprises the main routes leading to schools, roads outside hospitals, most bus routes, some residential roads and lightly trafficked rural roads which become hazardous if left untreated during prolonged periods of particularly severe weather conditions. Treatment of the Secondary network will be undertaken following completion of the Primary routes.
Arrangements have been made with Lancashire County Council to treat lengths of road which are on boundary lines of the borough to negate duplication or no treatment.
Details of routes and salt bins are as follows:
- Appendix A – Primary salting routes
- Appendix B – Secondary salting routes
- Appendix C – Rock salt bin locations
SNOW CLEARANCE
Where snow settles on the highway the Council will endeavour to clear it and make the highwaypassable. Roads will be cleared in priority order as stated above.
Footways and cycleways will only be treated to clear a build up of snow or during prolongedperiods of very cold weather where resources permit and only when Primary and Secondary routes are considered to have been treated where reasonably practicable.
LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES
There are a number of external drivers for change in how winter service is delivered, some of these include:
Code of Practice for Highway Maintenance Management (published July 2005)
Requirement for Asset Management Plans
Traffic Management Act 2004
Results of National salt spreading trials
Improved technology
Changing weather patterns
In England and Wales, Section 41 Highways Act 1980, was inserted on 31 October 2003 bySection 111 of the Railways and Transport Act 2003. This legislation makes it clear that localauthorities now have a legal duty to ensure, so far as reasonably practical, that safe passagealong a highway is not endangered by snow or ice. This is not an absolute duty, bearing in mindthe qualification of ‘reasonable practicability’, but it does effectively overturn previous legalprecedence, but not with retrospective effect.
The Code of Practice for Highway Maintenance Management was published in 2005 and setsout best practice guidance for all maintenance related activities including Winter Service.
RESPONSIBLE OFFICER
The nominated Winter Maintenance Manager will be responsible for Operation Snowdrop during the period:
- Monday to Friday 8.00 hrs – 18.00 hrs
The nominated out-of-hours emergency duty officer will be responsible for Operation Snowdrop during the period:
- Monday to Thursday18.01 hrs – 07.59 hrs and Friday 18.00 hrs to Monday 07.59 hrswill be the ‘Out of Hours’ Emergency Duty Officer.
DECISION FOR TREATMENT
The decision to carryout pre-salting is based on weather forecast information supplied by meteorological forecasts and continuous information from local weather stations.
The information from the weather stations is ‘Real Time’ and allows officers to consider sudden deterioration in temperature to improve decision making and the need to mobilize resources.
A written daily weather forecast is issued by the ‘Met’ office between 12.00hrs – 14.00 hrs. The forecast offers analysis on the expected weather for the next 24 hours and a 5 day forecast. The forecast is colour coded Red, Yellow, Green which acts as a visual aid for the up and coming weather and the likelihood for need to carryout gritting operations.
In addition Blackpool Council receives notification of what action Lancashire County Council is considering to take based on the weather forecasting information. This includes areas on Blackpool’s boundaries but also the motorway network through the county.
Forecasting AND Planning
Forecasting will be considered on a daily basis during the morning prior to 10am on whether a decision to carry out a road treatment is necessary and to determine the optimum time to carryout the treatment based against the predicted forecast. Decisions taken will as a secondary condition, consider planned street scene activities, projects and impacts on routine operations.
The Council’s Emergency Duty Officer will also be notified of any intended action to assist with decision making from incidents reported to him outside of conventional/normal working hours.
Winter Maintenance Manager(s):
Responsible for operational hours, early planning weather prediction and communication.
- Jez Evans – M. 07796 994561
- James Kelly – M. 07717 225211
- Phil Winstanley – M. 07796 994612
RESPONSE TIMES
The primary and secondary pre-salting network is broken down into 9 salting routes. These routes are designed to give a maximum treatment time of 2 hours per route. The maximum operational treatment time required to pre treat the borough is 8 hours including loading time. It should be noted that the response to initiate a pre-salting operation is one hour.
PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Blackpool Council owns and maintains all the equipment used for winter service operations.
Equipment
- 4 Purpose gritting vehicles with de-mountable plough’s (3 operational at any one time)
- Various operational tipping vehicles for hand spreading
- 6 hand barrow spreading equipment (town centre footpaths)
Maintenance
- Plant and equipment are serviced prior to commencement of Operation Snowdrop
- All operational and support staff are reminded of their roles and responsibilities.
- The drivers receive refresher training on the vehicles, plant and equipment.
- Winter Maintenance Manager is responsible to ensure defects are notified to the Central Vehicle Maintenance Manager (CVMU) to ensure as reasonable practicable that vehicles are fit for purpose and ready for operational use.
- Operational supervisors will ensure where routine washing down has not been carried out at the end of a shift (owing to frozen water feeds)that these are carried out at the first available opportunity.
- CVMU provides necessary maintenance to ensure the Operation Snowdrop fleet is fully operational.
ROCK SALT SUPPLIES
Rock salt complying with BS 3247 forOperation Snowdrop is stored at Blackpool Council Layton Depot site. The holding level of rocksalt has been increased from 350 tonnes to 450 tonnes to enable 5 days of continuous treatment for snow conditions.
The provision of rock salt is procured through a Lancashire County Council procurement agreement. The replacement of stock contacts, records and balances is held by the Winter Maintenance Manager.
Where a prolonged spell of icy/snow weather continues and stock levels fall it is likely that central government will introduce ‘Salt Cell Management’. This effectively manages the needs and priorities of the country as a whole and determines deliveries of stock based against local authority daily returns. Mutual aid is given or received from neighbouring authorities as conditions dictate
The winter maintenance manager or his team will order rock salt as appropriate, order levels for replacing stock will be as and when used. Stock levels that fall to 50% due to delivery shortfalls will be brought to the attention of the Portfolio Holder for Business Services - Cllr Ian Fowler, Managing Director and Assistant Directors of Blackpool Services.
Salt bins are provided throughout the borough at suitable locations. These include; schools, libraries, council offices and other strategic highway locations -see appendixC. The salt bins are serviced throughout the winter period, during and after pre-salting as part of routine winter maintenance operations.
At the end of the winter period the salt bins will be collected from highway locations,rock salt returned to the rock salt stockpile and the bins cleaned and stored during the summer months.
All Blackpool schools have beenofferedassistance to establishsalt (grit) bins.
In addition, Blackpool and FyldeCollegeis currently reviewing their own winter maintenance plan and are now fully aware of the service the Council can provide.
SPREADING RATES
Precautionary pre-salting for ice - rock salt shall normally be applied to all roads on designated routes at a minimum rate of spread of 10 gm/sq.m.
Precautionary salting for snow –rock-salt shall be applied to all roads on routes at a
rate of spread of between 15 and 40 gm/sq.m. at the direction of the duty officer. Salt shall be spread evenly, with continuity and at the specified rate, to all sections or part sections of the route designated to be treated.
During prolonged falls of snow it will be necessary to plough continuously from the onset to prevent build-up and compaction by traffic. Such ploughing should be combined with simultaneous salting at 25-40 gm/sq.m.
PERFORMANCE MONITORING
Records will be maintained to include a rota and call out sheet for each pre-salting and the relevant forecast. The operational supervisor will complete the “Winter Maintenance Control Record” sheet. Completed sheets will then form part of the audit process to monitor the effectiveness of the service. This information will be used to compare comparable data with other local authorities and support claims for injuries from third parties who allege that the council have been negligent in its duty of care.
MEDIA COMMUNICATION
Liaison with the news media, particularly the local radio stations, BBC Radio Lancashire and Radio Wave is of the utmost importance and will be maintained during periods of snowfall. This contact will normally be directed through the Council’s Communications Office.
Primary Salting Routes
Primary Route1
Road Name / DetailsDepot / Plymouth Road Roundabout
Plymouth Road / Grit Roundabout
Bispham Road / To Red Bank Road RAB grit RAB
Devonshire Road / To Fleetwood Road
Fleetwood Road / To Victoria Road West
Kelso Avenue / To Queens Promenade
Queens Promenade / To Gynn Square
Promenade / To Talbot Square
Talbot Road / To Dickson Road
Dickson Road / To Gynn Square
Warbreck Hill Road / To Devonshire Road RAB grit RAB
Devonshire Road / To Red Bank Road
Red Bank Road / To Promenade turn Pennystone Ave / Beaufort Ave
Warbreck Drive / To Warbreck Hill Road
Warbreck Hill Road / Part Devonshire Road RAB to Bispham Road
Moor Park Avenue / Bispham Road to Bristol Avenue
Bristol Avenue / Full length turn Blackpool Old Road
Ashfield Road / To Warren Drive turn right
Warren Drive / Ashfield Road to White Carr Lane turn
Warren Drive / From Ashfield Road turn Valeway Avenue/Lyddesdale Avenue
North Drive / From Warren Drive to Victoria Road turn
Kincraig Road / From Ashfield Road to Moor Park Avenue
Return to Depot
Primary Route 2
Road Name / DetailsDepot
St Walburgas Road / South bound carriageway
North Park Drive / Part
East Park Drive
South Park Drive
Preston New Road / Peel RAB
Squires Gate Link / Ramps
Ashworth Road RAB / Grit RAB
Squires Gate Lane / Grit Cropper Road RAB, extra salt at marker posts
South Promenade
Central Promenade / To Talbot Square turn
Central Promenade / Return
South Promenade
Squires Gate Lane / Extra salt at marker posts
Squires Gate Link / Ramps
Preston New Road
Oxford Square
Waterloo Road / From Oxford Squire to Promenade
Return via Waterloo Road
East Park Drive
St Walburgas Road / North bound carriageway
Return to Depot
Primary Route 3
Road Name / DetailsMowbray Drive / Westfield Avenue
Poulton Road / RAB to BlackpoolOld Road
Garstang Road West / To Boundary turn
Poulton Road / Plymouth Road RAB to Westcliffe Drive
Westcliffe Drive
Talbot Road
Larkhill Street
George Street
Cookson Street / Part
Talbot Road / Cookson Street to Dickson Road
Abingdon Street / Talbot Road to Clifton Street
Clifton Street
Abingdon Street
Church Street / To Devonshire Square
Whitegate Drive / To Oxford Square
Waterloo Road to restart at Central Drive
Central Drive
Albert Road / Central Drive to Coronation Street turn right
Coronation Street / Return Reads Avenue – Central Drive
New Bonney Street / Promenade restart at Adelaide Street
Adelaide Street / Part
Bank Hey Street / Part
Restart Springfield Road
Springfield Road
High Street
Talbot Road / Part
Grosvenor Street / Church St restart Caunce Street
Caunce Street / King Street to Grosvenor Street
Grosvenor Street, Church Street restart Cookson Street
Cookson Street / RestartForest Gate
Forest Gate
North Park Drive
Fire Station
Secondary Salting Routes
North
Road Name / DetailsDepot / Warley Road
Warley Road / To Prom restart Holmfield Road
Holmfield Road / To Carlin Gate
Carlin Gate
Shaftsbury Avenue / Return Holmfield Road
Holmfield Road / From Carlin Gate to Warbreck Drive restart Beaufort Avenue
Beaufort Avenue / To Norcliff Road
Norcliffe Road / Part
Norbreck Road / Part
Guildford Avenue / Turn via Devonshire/Oakland/Clovelley
Norbreck Road
Shore Road / To Prom restart Princes Way
Princes Way / To Anchorsholme Lane West
Anchorsholme Lane / Fleetwood Rd Kingsway
Leys Road / Princes Way
RegencyGardens / To Anchorsholme Road West restart Shore Road
Norbreck Road / To Russell Avenue
Russell Avenue / Left Fleetwood Road to Valeway
Valeway Avenue / Right Neville Road
Neville Avenue / Right Greenfield Right North Drive to Luton Rd
Luton Road Part / Part to Neville Avenue
Neville Avenue / Left Green Field
Greenfield Road / Left Seabrook Drive
Seabrook Drive
East Pines Drive / Turn at Luton Rd left at Sevenoaks Drive RAB
Sevenoaks Drive
Melbourne Avenue
Wood Green Drive
Sevenoaks Drive / Warren DriveWhite Carr Lane
Whiteholme Road / Ashfield Road restart
Lyddesdale Avenue / To Anchorsholme Lane Restart Luton Road
Luton Road / To Anchorsholme Lane
Anchorsholme Lane / Over North Drive to Kelso Avenue restart (Old) Fleetwood Road
Fleetwood Road
All Hallows Road
Red Bank Road / Around RAB
Ingthorpe Road / Ashfield Road
Rossington Avenue
Inglewood Grove / Right Highcroft Avenue
Highcroft Avenue
North contd.