Gritting and Winter Maintenance
In the winter months, West Lothian Council has to treat over 1,000 km of roads and around 1,300 km of footways to combat the effects of bad weather. Further information, including advice on winter driving can be found below.
About our Winter Service
Our Winter Service normally operates from the last Thursday in October till the last Thursday in March. It is important to appreciate that it is not possible to treat all routes simultaneously.
In this view, the council must adopt a priority system to ensure that the treatment is targeted to areas of greatest need first.
The Council's Winter Service Policy
The Council`s Winter Service Policy has classified specific roads and footpaths within West Lothian as either a Primary or Secondary gritting route, not all roads and footpaths are gritted.
Secondary routes are further broken down into Levels 1, 2 and 3
We cannot treat every road or footpath, we just don't have the resources, so we must prioritise those that have been agreed with elected members.
Gritting Routes
Gritting Route and Winter Maintenance Enquiries
Should you have any enquiries relating to Gritting Routes or Winter Maintenance. Please use our online form.
Treatment of Routes
Where possible, we aim to treat, major roads and important bus routes (Primary routes) prior to the formation of ice. We operate this service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week when necessary.
Primary routes tend to be the main roads within West Lothian.
Once the Primary carriageways have been treated and if resources and weather allow, we start to treatment to the Secondary Level 1 carriageways, such as those in housing estates and rural areas.
Once we have treated the Secondary Level 1 we only move onto the Secondary Level 2 carriageways treatment if the Primary and Secondary Level 1 are in a satisfactory condition and weather and resources allow.
Once the Secondary Level 2 routes treatments are completed we will only move to the Secondary Level 3 treatment routes if the Primary, Secondary Level 1 & 2 routes are in a satisfactory condition, weather and resources allow.
(Information in relation to the M8 and M9 motorway is detailed below)
Footways
We also deal with footways on a priority basis. In ice and snow conditions footways leading to schools, hospitals, health centres, shopping areas and where there is heavy pedestrian movement are treated first. Main routes to residential areas follow, with internal footways in housing areas being treated as resources permit.
In addition we provide over 2,000 grit bins, which are positioned throughout West Lothian for use by members of the public.
FAQs
Are you refilling grit bins?
Our teams are refilling all public grit bins but we have over 2,000, and it takes time.
The grit from grit bins isn't for use in your own property. If you are using a grit bin, please only take what you need for the public path and public road outside your home.
If you require grit for your own property, please purchase grit or salt from a supermarket.
If you see any commercial businesses taking grit, please let us know. We are aware of several incidents where grit bins have been emptied almost immediately.
Can I collect grit from any other location?
25 self-help strategic salt pick-up points are provided at the following locations which will assist with community self-help during periods of winter weather:
- Armadale, Garage site at Mcneil Crescent
- Bathgate, Xcite Centre, Torphichen Road
- Bathgate (Wester Inch), Car park adjacent to play area in Leyland Road
- Blackburn, Partnership Centre, Ash Grove
- Blackridge, Craig Inn Community Centre, Main Street
- Bridgend, Car park at community centre
- Broxburn, Xcite Centre, Church Street
- Craigshill, Tower Public House car park, Adelaide Street
- East Calder, Xcite Centre, Langton Road
- Ecclesmachan, Oatridge College access road
- Eliburn, Livingston North Train Station (South Car Park)
- Fauldhouse, Eastfield Road car park near the bottle banks
- Greenrigg, Polkemmet Drive garage site
- Kirknewton, Sports pavilion
- Linlithgow, Xcite Centre, McGinley Way
- Livingston Village, Car park at rear of Livingston Inn
- Murieston, Livingston South Train Station car park
- Newton, Community Education Centre
- Threemiletown, B9080 adjacent to No.1 St James Place
- Torphichen, Community Centre, Bowyett
- West Calder, Business Centre, Dickson Street
- Westfield, South East end of Strathlogie at Garage Site
- Whitburn, Xcite Centre, Jubilee Road
- Wilkieston, Linburn Park
- Winchburgh, Community Centre, Craigton Place
When I drive behind a gritter, they aren't always spreading grit/salt. Why is that?
Each gritter has an allocated route to ensure the network is treated as efficiently as possible. A gritter may be tasked with spreading salt on a route in Livingston therefore doesn't start spreading until it reaches that location. Another reason is that a gritter may have used all its salt and is heading back to the depot for a refill.
When I see a footpath gritter, they aren't always spreading grit / salt. Why is that?
Each footpath tractor covers a large area but can only carry a relatively small amount of salt. Large tractor bins are located at various points within their designated area to allow the drivers to replenish the grit box on their vehicle. When a driver runs out of salt they will drive to the nearest tractor bin so it is not unusual to see a footpath gritter not spreading salt.
If I see a gritter that is not moving, why is that?
Drivers need to have a break from driving - it's the law. If one of our gritters hasn't moved in a while, this could be the reason why. Alternatively the vehicle may have broken down and is awaiting recovery.
Why do gritter vehicles spend so much time in and around Bathgate?
Our depot is in Bathgate so all gritters need to set off from Bathgate, return to re-fuel, load up with more grit and change drivers. Therefore they are in and out of Bathgate, a lot.
Why aren't you gritting housing estates?
The council doesn't have the resources to treat all roads simultaneously therefore we need to prioritise. Housing estates are secondary level 2 routes treated on a reactive basis only during normal working hours. These routes will only be treated when the higher priority routes are deemed to be in a satisfactory condition.
What about railway station car parks and other private car parks?
The council don't treat private car parks.
How many Gritters and winter vehicles do you have?
In our fleet we have 23 vehicles capable of spreading salt in carriageways and 29 mini tractors for spreading salt on footways.
How much salt/grit do they hold?
There are a variety of different capacities due to the range of vehicles we have available. Our smallest vehicles hold around 1 tonne with our fixed body gritters able to hold almost 14 tonnes.
What distance of roads do gritters cover per shift?
The average gritting distance of a Primary Carriageway route is 35 km with drivers generally treating 2 routes per shift, which takes in the region of 4 hours to complete.
How much grit is required to treat Primary routes?
At a 20 gramme per square metre spread rate we require approximately 75 tonnes of salt to treat all Primary routes.
How does grit salt prevent ice forming on surfaces?
Frost and ice form when water freezes. Salt spread on roads and pedestrian areas mixes with any moisture and creates a saline solution. Saline solutions freeze at a lower temperature than water, so frost and ice doesn't form on the road, even though the temperature is below freezing for water. It's for exactly the same reason why salty sea water freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water. The actual freezing point of a saline solution depends on the salinity (strength) of the saline solution.
The applicable amount of salt is spread on the roads to ensure, as far as possible, that the salinity of any moisture on the roads is sufficient enough to prevent the formation of frost and ice.
If the surface temperature goes lower than this the effectiveness of the salt reduces and has little effect if it drops below -10 degrees.
Will grit melt snow?
Grit Salt doesn't directly melt snow as it firstly has to mix with the snow to form a saline solution and lower the melting point. If snow is predicted, salt is spread in advance so when the first snow falls it can start to mix with salt to create a saline solution which can reduce the build up (accumulation) of snow and prevent the formation of ice.
In prolonged periods of snowfall the snow can fall at a rate faster than the salt can mix with the snow which means the snow may accumulate. Accumulated snow will have to be ploughed away from the roads or cleared in the pedestrian areas, but this is made much easier by salt spread in advance of the snowfall as the salt already applied reduces the likelihood of the snow freezing on the surface.
Placing salt on top of snow which has already fallen has limited benefits.
Grit Bins
You can request a grit bin to be refilled, request a replacement grit bin where it is missing, damaged or broken, or request a grit bin where one isn't present, using our online form.
Winter Information
- Ready Winter Information (opens new window)
- Traffic Scotland - Live Traffic Cameras (opens new window)
- Driving in Bad Weather (PDF, 823 KB)(opens new window)
- Winter Service in West Lothian (PDF, 697 KB)(opens new window) (Information on Gritting, Snow clearing, Winter driving tips and Contact numbers)
Service Standards - We will:
- Publish our winter maintenance policy, including treatment priorities and level of service, each year prior to the start of winter maintenance operations (details of our winter maintenance policy are provided in a guidance note);
- Carry out gritting and snow clearing operations on public roads and footpaths in accordance with published policy;
- Provide new grit bins in streets which meet the required criteria; and
- Fill grit bins on receipt of a request as resources allow, or following periods of severe weather.
Contact Details - For policy on route priorities, requests for new grit bin or refills, general information/comments on service provision - 01506 280000 (24 hour contact number)
M8 and M9 Motorway maintenance
Customers who wish to report new road defects, gritting issues, potholes, litter etc. on the M8 and M9 trunk roads should contact BEAR Scotland.
Their 24hr contact number is 0800 028 1414.
