Dartford/ Gravesham - Local Winter Service Plan – winter 2010/2011 1 DARTFORD/ GRAVESHAM DISTRICT Winter Service Handbook NOTE: For data protection purposes names, addresses and telephone numbers have been removed from this document. Version 4.0 October 2010 – web & district Owner: Tony Atherton 1 Dartford/ Gravesham - Local Winter Service Plan – winter 2010/2011 2 Winter Service District/Team Handbook Contents 1.0 KHS policy statement and plan 2.0 Winter Service procedure 3.0 Local Winter Service plan 4.0 Weather forecasts and instructed action 5.0 Early warnings of severe weather 6.0 Duty officer roles 7.0 Primary and secondary routes 8.0 Location of traffic calming features on primary and secondary routes 9.0 Location of traffic calming features on non salt routes 10.0 Farmer snow ploughs 11.0 Bridges and subways 12.0 Emergency primary actions – priority order 13.0 Snow clearance priorities, with details by town/area in priority order 14.0 Local agreement – Dartford/Gravesham districts 15.0 Location of shopping areas/schools/ residential homes/ doctors/ chemists 16.0 Salt bin locations Appendices 1. Personnel Roles 2. Winter Service Action sheet 3. Winter salting request form 4. Farmers snow plough routes Version 4.0 October 2010 – web & district Owner: Tony Atherton 2 Dartford/ Gravesham - Local Winter Service Plan – winter 2010/2011 3 1. KHS policy statement and plan Every autumn the KHS Winter Service Policy and Plan are revised, updated and presented to Members for formal approval. This document is a definitive guide to all winter service activities and this can be found on KHSnet. As part of the community approach to coping with the effects of a declared winter emergency a local winter service, plan based on a countywide template, is prepared for the local district area. 2. Winter service procedure During normal working hours the team leader will deal with all winter service matters, including managing local action in snow/ice emergencies. The Duty Officer (DO) will assume control out of hours. Team Leader (TL) will also ensure that adequate support is provided to DO out of hours in emergency situations and that a suitable handover briefing takes place at the start and end of the normal working day. See Appendix 1 for personnel roles in winter service. 2.1 The Duty Officer will commence duty at 12.00 hours on Friday until 08.00 the following Friday and will be responsible for all the actions below. Assistance will be given but the ultimate responsibility will be with the DO. 2.2 Immediately after 1400 hours daily the weather forecast/information will be available on email/ dedicated winter service telephone number. (Update forecasts may be available at 21.30 hours each day, or when issued.) 2.3 Instructing and recording actions –The DO will record action taken on the Winter Service action sheet (attached as Appendix 2). Email to Ringway; this will instruct them of the action that is needed. Provide as much detail as possible on the form. In the event that additional actions are needed, confirm by phone with the Ringway Duty Supervisor. If, in the opinion of the duty officer, or on a site check, different action is taken to that recommended by the Winter Duty Officer (WDO), please inform the WDO. Ringway will be informed directly of the main action. Duty Officer will decide and instruct on any other action needed. The winter service action sheet should also be copied by email to the relevant Priority Response Officer, Team Leader and Community Delivery Manager. The PRO will ensure that a WAMS order is raised as soon as practicable. The PRO will save the form in the designated folder on the KHS IT system. 2.4 At weekends/bank holidays the winter forecast/action will be sent out at 14.00 hours or soon thereafter. In the event that a forecast is not received the DO will phone the KCC forecast to receive forecast and instructions. 2.5 If there are any changes, i.e. rain, contact the Ringway Winter Duty Supervisor as soon as possible to cancel/ amend the instruction and inform the WDO 2.5 A snow/ice emergency can only be declared by a Community Delivery Manager (CDM). In the event of a snow/ice emergency being declared by the CDM, strategic action should considered, i.e. opening an Emergency Room and calling in other staff etc. Version 4.0 October 2010 – web & district Owner: Tony Atherton 3 Dartford/ Gravesham - Local Winter Service Plan – winter 2010/2011 4 2.6 In a declared snow emergency the priorities are primary routes, secondary routes, recorded snow clearance priorities and finally anything reported by the public etc. All public reports are to be logged on the agreed spreadsheet (Appendix 3) This will usually be completed by the community liaison team who will also ensure that these enquiries are entered into the WAMS system and followed up accordingly. 3. Local Winter service plan The Local Winter Service Plan for Dartford/ Gravesham is a working document developed through local knowledge provided by both Kent Highway Services (KHS) and District staff. It will evolve and be revised as necessary throughout the year. This document complements the Winter Service Policy and Plan 2010-11 and, unless necessary for clarity, there will be no duplication between these two documents. Any amendments to the document should be directed in the first instance to the KHS Community Operations Team Leader for the Dartford/ Gravesham areas. 4. Weather forecasts and instructed action The Kent Road Weather Forecast is issued daily (between 1300 and 1400) throughout the operational winter service period between 25th October 2010 and 18th April 2011. The forecast will give a summary of expected weather conditions for the following 24hrs and for the next five days, as well as any salting action instructed by the Winter Service Duty Officer. The Kent Road Weather Forecast will also be available on a voice recording by phoning XXXX Should any additional salting action be required locally, beyond that instructed by the Winter Service Officer, the Team Leader or Engineer (or duty out of hours officer) will issue these to the contractor, Ringway, directly. Pavements: During snow days arrangements will be made to clear pavements in key town centre and other areas as identified and agreed by district council and KHS staff. The prioritised pavements/footways are identified in this document. 5. Early Warnings of Severe or Extreme Weather/ Flash Warnings Severe and Flash weather warnings are issued by the Meteorological Office throughout the year to various organisation including KCC. These warn of heavy rain, high winds, icy roads and snow. Severe weather warnings are issued when there is a 60%, or greater confidence, that severe weather is expected in the next few days. Flash Warnings are issued when there is a 80%, or greater confidence, that severe weather is expected in the next few hours. Whenever relevant warnings are received they will be disseminated to the team. Version 4.0 October 2010 – web & district Owner: Tony Atherton 4 Dartford/ Gravesham - Local Winter Service Plan – winter 2010/2011 5 6. Duty Officer Rota (outside of office hours) A rota of contact information and names of Local Duty Officers, Senior Duty Officers, Duty Winter Service Officers and Ringway duty officers is circulated on a weekly basis by email. See Appendix 1 for personnel roles. 7. Plans of Primary and Secondary routes Location maps of Primary salting routes can be accessed via the weblink: http://www.kent.gov.uk/publications/transport-and-streets/Winter-salting-routes.htm Primary routes for the Dartford/ Gravesham districts are designated as follows: SWAN 1 SWAN 5 SWAN 2 SWAN 6 SWAN 3 SWAN 7 SWAN 4 SWAN8 (FASTRACK BUS ROUTE). Secondary Routes can be found on KHS net and KentView. For the Dartford/ Gravesham district these are designated as follows: SWAN A SWAN E SWAN B SWAN F SWAN C SWAN G SWAN D SWAN H. It should be noted that some primary and secondary routes cross district boundaries. 8. Location of Traffic Calming features on Primary and Secondary Routes SWAN 1 Trevithick Drive Kerb build outs for bus stops Henderson Drive Ditto Littlebrook Manorway Speed cushions/ table top junction/ mini roundabout St Vincents Road Speed cushions and raised crossing ( pelican crossing near junction with The Brent) Station approach Speed cushions and raised carriageway at crossing point. Suffolk Road Raised carriageway/ block paved surfacing Spital Street Ditto Kent Road Kerb build-outs Priory Road Speed humps/ width restriction at railway bridge. Priory Hill Speed humps King Edward Avenue Ditto Maiden Lane Ditto North Road Ditto Swan Lane Width restriction/ priority gateway Version 4.0 October 2010 – web & district Owner: Tony Atherton 5 Dartford/ Gravesham - Local Winter Service Plan – winter 2010/2011 6 Heath Lane Speed cushions Common Lane Speed cushions/ ramps and table junction Darenth Road (fastrack) Restricted access for this dedicated fastrack bus route. SWAN 2 Lundale Road Speed cushions Princes Avenue Ditto Beacon Drive Bean Speed humps Gore Road Darenth Traffic signals at fastrack bus route. Build out opposite junction with Lundale Road High street Bean Speed Cushions and Kerb extensions & islands (between Beacon Drive and School Lane) Main Road Longfield Gateways and chicanes (between Hartley Bottom Road and Manor Road) SWAN 3 Princes Road Traffic islands and controlled signals for fastrack bus route – by roundabout at Park Road/ outside harvester/ mid way between roundabout at A282 tunnel approach and Watling Street roundabout. Littlebrook manorway Access to dartford crossing control centre – roundabout Bridge Development – Halcrow Traffic signals/ chicanes/ Avenue/ Rennie Drive roundabouts Marsh Street North Width restriction/ traffic signals. Alkerdene lane Swanscombe Speed cushions and passing places Craylands lane Swanscombe Speed cushions and gateways.