<p> BOROUGH OF POOLE</p><p>TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP – 16 OCTOBER 2003</p><p>REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES</p><p>ON WINTER MAINTENANCE</p><p>1. Purpose of Report and Policy Context</p><p>1.1 To:</p><p> a) Review the Winter Service Policy b) Update on progress against other action points</p><p> as listed within the Executive Summary of the approved Highway Maintenance Policy.</p><p>2. Recommendations</p><p>2.1 It is recommended that the Winter Service Policy as outlined in this report be confirmed for 2003/04.</p><p>3. Recommendations</p><p>3.1 In response to a national New Code of Practice for Highway Maintenance produced in 2001, a Highway Maintenance Policy for Poole was approved by Executive in February 2003.</p><p>3.2 This Policy was produced following a series of consultation exercises and meetings of a dedicated Officer/Member Working Party. Using the original Policy inherited from Dorset County Council on Local Government reorganisation in 1997, the structure of the new Policy document reflects the guidance issued in the new Code.</p><p>3.3 The complete Policy document is currently available in each of the Group Members rooms for reference. Within the Executive Summary of this are a series of action points to be progressed during the next twelve months. The purpose of this report is to comply with the point:</p><p>“ Review Winter Service Policy with Weather and Other Emergencies Policy before the Winter of 2003/04.”</p><p>4. Winter Service</p><p>4.1 Winter Service is described in two areas of the complete policy document, namely:</p><p>P50-52 Section 13 Winter Service P86-97 Appendix 13 Winter Service Operational Plan 4.2 For the purposes of understanding the issues involved, the operational plan is summarised below. Furthermore particularly in the area of dealing with snow, this report goes further into describing how this type of situation is dealt with. Subject to members endorsement, the additional comments will be incorporated into the original document.</p><p>4.3 The objective of the plan is to maintain safe driving conditions on important parts of the highway network at all times by means of pre-salting, salting and where necessary, snow clearance and gritting. The Winter period applies from 1 October to 30 April.</p><p>4.4 The plant available consists of 4 no. demountable salting bodies, together with separate snow ploughs, which can be fitted to 4 wheel drive vehicles (these are used for general maintenance purposes throughout the year).</p><p>4.5 Stockpiles of salt are stored at Hatch Pond Depot with specified minimum quantities being held at various times throughout the Winter period. In addition a smaller quantity of grit is stored.</p><p>4.6 The weather forecasting service is provided through a contract with Dorset County Council. Accurate readings of temperature and moisture are obtained from two zonal areas affecting Poole, namely Wessex Way (A338 to the west) and Wimborne (A31 Wimborne By-pass to the north) weather stations.</p><p>4.7 Forecasts are available every afternoon at 13.30hrs, using the latest available information. This provides the operators with a prediction of temperature and moisture on the ground and associated weather forecast over the next 24 hours, together with a longer term 5 day outlook.</p><p>4.8 Every effort is made to decide on a course of action for the evening/night during the preceding afternoon. This provides the benefit of:</p><p> a) Being able to co-ordinate actions with neighbouring authorities b) Operatives can plan nightly salting in with their day time activities c) Being able to judge the timing of pre-salting such that it will not be dispersed by the evening rush hour and yet be down before the freezing conditions occur.</p><p>4.9 Where weather conditions suddenly change from that forecast, amendments are announced to operators by use of a paging system.</p><p>4.10 Based on practioners knowledge of the road network, the following strategies have been devised: 5. Icy Roads</p><p>Road Temperature is Forecast to PRIORITY ROUTES Fall below Freezing</p><p>1 2 Roads are expected to remain dry Pre-salt areas No action known to be wet – 15 gm-2 Formation of hoar frost Pre-salt if doubtful No action - 15 gm-2 </p><p>Formation of icy patches Pre-salt - 15 gm-2 No action</p><p>Formation of widespread ice Pre-salt – 15-40 As Priority 1 gm-2</p><p>These routes are shown on drgs as Appendix A. </p><p>Priority 1 3 No gritters. Routes – north, east and west. Mainly classified roads, access routes to hospitals, fire stations and the more important bus routes.</p><p>Priority 2 4 No gritters. As above three routes but further extended, together with a fourth gritter introduced to location where particular problems such as steep slopes exist.</p><p>Response Times</p><p>TYPE TIME</p><p>Response time 1 hour Treatment time priority 1 routes only 2 hours Treatment time priority 1 & 2 routes 2 hours</p><p>Response time is the maximum period of time between instructions being issued to crews and all vehicles being operationally ready to start salting.</p><p>The treatment time is the approximate time taken to complete the specified salting action.</p><p>5.1 Clearance of Snow</p><p>On forecast of snow the following action will be taken:</p><p>WEATHER CONDITIONS PRIORITY ROUTES</p><p>1 2 Slight snow less than 25mm Pre-salt 15 gm-2 If persists as Priority 1 Moderate snow Pre-salt 25-40 gm-2. As Priority 1 Plough when over 40mm. Re-salt and clear slush.</p><p>Heavy snow over 100mm As above. Make use of As above. all available resources. Make use of all available resources.</p><p>While it is intended that the above routes should be covered during snowfall, there are times when conditions rapidly deteriorate so badly that it is not possible to sustain this coverage. In this event resources have to be focussed on keeping just the very main routes open by continuous ploughing. In these extreme conditions only the snow routes shown as Appendix B will be addressed. (This is an addition to the original approved policy).</p><p>5.2 Severe Weather</p><p>In the event of severe weather conditions if traffic is or can be expected to be seriously affected by snow an emergency control room will be opened at Hatch Pond to manage the emergency. The decision to open the emergency control will be taken by the Principal Engineer (Maintenance) and the Principal Highways Officer in consultation with the Head of Transportation Services.</p><p>5.3 Within the resources available footways will not routinely be pre-salted on the prediction of snow or ice. However in particularly prolonged periods of ice or snow conditions where conditions are extremely hazardous additional resources may be deployed together with help from other Units such as Consumer Protection or Leisure where their work has had to be suspended.</p><p>5.4 In this instance smaller flat bed vehicles with operatives may be deployed to treat footways in urban areas around shops, schools, hospitals and main bus stops with a mixture of salt and grit.</p><p>5.5 Salt/grit bins are provided at strategic points on steep hills which are not a regular salting route. By this means local residents and drivers can assist in keeping the highway useable at locations which would otherwise not be treated.</p><p>5.6 Within the area of Winter maintenance demand for assistance invariably far outweighs the resources available. The level of service described is that which can be provided within the resources – plant, labour and finance currently available. Any enhancement of the service above and beyond this can only be provided if the issue of additional resources is addressed. 6. Future Developments</p><p>6.1 Currently authorities have a duty under the Highways Act 1980 only to clear accumulations of snow. However following a recent court case (W Sussex v. Goodes), legislation is currently being passed through the Railways and Transport Act 2003 which places a duty on preventing ice formation.</p><p>6.2 Although unlikely to affect this years’ Winter’s service, the implications for future years are potentially quite considerable. A future report will be brought to this Committee when a clear position is known.</p><p>7. Further Action Points</p><p>7.1 Within the Executive Summary of the Highway Maintenance Policy there were a number of action points which it was stated would be progressed during the following twelve months.</p><p>7.2 Unfortunately these have not been progressed as anticipated due to the reduced staff resources in this area. The post of Maintenance Manager ( who would have been involved with Policy development ) remains unfilled pending an assessment of options for alternative methods of service delivery, including partnering.</p><p>7.3 With the recent establishment of a Client Team within Transportation Services it is hoped that matters such as these will, however, be addressed before 2004/05.</p><p>7.4 Outstanding items are:-</p><p> Develop a Highway Inspection Manual to fully establish and clarify types of highway defects and responses thereto.  Review and update cyclical maintenance operations (including gully emptying) to improve effectiveness of existing resources  Develop a street lighting policy based on new guidance and linking into this Policy  Develop a Highway Tree Policy in conjunction with Leisure Services.</p><p>JAMES T BRIGHT HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES</p><p>APPENDIX A – Priority 1 Routes Priority 2 Routes APPENDIX B - Snow Clearing Routes</p><p>Background Papers: None</p><p>Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact Steve Tite (01202) 262020</p><p>TAG161003T3G</p>