Salt of the earth – Thanks to the workers who have kept Gwynedd going through the winter

Spring is in the air, lifting everyone’s spirits. The warmer weather and longer days may make it easy to forget how tough this winter has been, and the efforts of those who have supported communities through snow, frost, and storms.

Recently, the Leader and Deputy Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd along with the Cabinet Member responsible for Highways Services visited Afonwen Depot near Pwllheli. The visit gave Councillors Nia Jeffreys, Menna Trenholme and June Jones the chance to meet some of the gritting staff, learn more about work taking place across the county, and thank them personally for their continued dedication.

Between October and April, Cyngor Gwynedd officers closely monitor local conditions and put established winter maintenance plans into action. This includes:

• Council officers closely monitor conditions using specialist weather forecasts, data from six weather stations across the county, and traffic cameras, to ensure a prompt response.
• There are 23 gritting routes across Gwynedd (6 in Arfon, 6 in Dwyfor, and 11 in Meirionnydd), with up to 60 council staff on the winter maintenance rota.
• During severe weather, gritting shifts operate throughout the day and overnight.
• The Council stores 14,000 tonnes of salt in locations across the county, as well as holding salt on behalf of the Welsh Government.
• The staff are multi-skilled: alongside winter gritting, they repair potholes and resurface roads in the summer. They are also called out to assist when there are accidents or fuel spills on the road.
• Staff from other Council Services step in to assist the gritting team when conditions are particularly challenging.
• The Fleet Service team maintains the gritting vehicles, ensuring they are always ready when needed.

Councillor Nia Jeffreys, Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd, said:

“It has been a pleasure to visit the Afonwen Depot and I am eager to thank all the teams for the work they do throughout the winter to keep the people of Gwynedd safe on our roads.

“They work from Aberdyfi to Aberdaron, Bangor to Bala in very difficult conditions, often through the night when the rest of us are at home with our families.

“It has been an eye-opener to see where the grit is stored and to understand all the work behind each gritting round. I am very grateful to everyone for their work.”

Councillor Menna Trenholme, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for the Children and Family Support Department, said:

“Back in January when large parts of Gwynedd were under a blanket of snow, we saw how important the work of these teams were. Without them, other key council staff – such as carers and support workers – would not have been able to do their necessary work.

“When severe weather is expected, it is important that each of us prepares as best we can. Useful information to help the people of Gwynedd is available on the Council's website.”

Councillor June Jones, Cabinet Member responsible for Cyngor Gwynedd’s Highways Service, added:

“With the days getting longer and the weather much milder, it can be difficult to think back to all the snow and ice we experienced at the beginning of the year.

“It was interesting to visit the depot and learn how grit helps prevent water on the road from freezing. But unfortunately, if the temperature drops below about -7°C, the grit does not work effectively and ice can form. I understand that this can be frustrating for people.

“Similarly, when thick snow falls on top of a layer of grit, the salt is less effective, and the snow and ice do not melt. In these cases, our staff use ploughs to clear the snow, but this slows down the process.

“In icy weather, priority is given to A-class roads, roads to hospitals, public transport routes, and roads leading to schools.  Brig y FfurflenOnce these have been treated, officers will move on to work on the smaller lanes, including B-class roads.”

More information on how to prepare for severe weather and all kinds of other emergencies is available on the Gwynedd Council website: www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/emergency