Tandridge Buzz

A quad bike gritter is the latest weapon in Surrey County Council’s armoury to tackle ice and snow this winter.

The four-wheeler is being used on a trial basis to grit roads and clear snow at the same time in places ordinary trucks cannot go.

“As part of our campaign to keep Surrey moving this winter, we’re trialling with our contractor May Gurney this quad bike to get to those difficult to reach areas,” said Ian Lake, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment.

The vehicle features a plough on the front and a container on the back to spread grit.

Surrey has been preparing for months to help keep the county’s road network moving in severe winter weather.

Salt stocks are up to nearly 17,000 tonnes compared to last year’s 13,000 tonnes.

The mountain of salt will allow the county council to regularly treat around 110 extra miles of road.

More than 40 gritters are standing by at depots including at Godstone to keep Surrey moving in the event of snow and ice.

Surrey County Council is making sure the County’s 1,743 grit bins are full ahead of an expected big freeze this winter.

The Met Office has forecast snow in some parts of the country this week following Exacta Weather’s prediction last week of heavy snowfall across most parts of the UK this winter and temperatures as low as minus 20C.

The grit bin filling operation is part of a range of measures to tackle any ice and snow this winter.

These include gritting around 110 extra miles of road regularly in severe weather, with more hills covered, and increasing the amount of salt ordered to 16,800 tonnes from last winter’s 13,000, which was 50% more than the previous year.

Other measures taken include enlisting the help of an extra 15 farmers with ploughs to clear snow to take the total to 50 across Surrey and doubling the amount of grit offered to borough and district councils to spread in town centres to 40 tonnes.

“With another big freeze being forecast, we’re making sure that our grit bins are filled up before winter starts,” said Ian Lake, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment.

“Our teams are working their way around the county so residents can play their part in keeping Surrey moving.

“If they use this grit to treat their local roads and pavements it will be a huge benefit to their communities, but we would urge them only to use as much grit from the bins as is necessary so as many people as possible can benefit from it.”

Tandridge District Council today announced that all recycling, refuse and garden waste collections were cancelled today and for the rest of the week due to heavy snow.

In addition, the following services have been affected:

• Planning Policy Committee 2 December: Postponed.
  Council Offices in Oxted: Open, but with limited staff.
• Douglas Brunton and Lingfield Day Centres: Closed.
• Meals on wheels: No service. All customers have been contacted to make sure they have enough food.
• Dial-a-ride: No service.
• Council house emergency repairs, including heating: Limited service.
• Parking services: Temporarily suspended.
• Car parks: Closed/inaccessible.
• Cesspool service: Temporarily suspended.
• Street cleaning: Temporarily suspended.
• Toilets: Open, but will not be cleaned.
• Tandridge Leisure: Check with the centres www.tandridgeleisure.co.uk, Tandridge Leisure Centre 01883 716717, de Stafford Sports Centre 01883 344355
• Surrey services affected by snow, including libraries, buses, schools, recycling centres.

Weather information

• Website: www.tandridge.gov.uk/weather
• Email alerts: Sign up at www.tandridge.gov.uk/newsdirect
• Gritting and snow clearance: Surrey County Council 0300 200 1003, or e-mail contact.centre@surreycc.gov.uk.
• Clearing Snow guide: www.tandridge.gov.uk/yourcouncil/news/clearingsnow

Only travel if you have to — that’s the message from police despite the majority of motorways and A-roads in the area being traffic free.

After the heavy snow fall of the past few days, traffic across the county is now flowing but police are concerned there may be more snow and roads may be affected by ice.

A police spokesman said: “Drivers are advised not to travel unless their journey is absolutely necessary, and anyone who must use the road should allow lots of extra time for their journey, plan their route, avoid high speeds and heavy breaking, and pack a blanket, warm clothes, food and a hot drink in case they become stranded.

“Drivers who choose to travel and then become stuck should call their recovery company in the first instance and be prepared for a potentially long wait.”

Surrey County Council has ordered 13,000 tonnes of salt — 50% more than last year — for gritting the roads after it faced heavy criticism last year for shortages.

The council has 1,500 grit bins and is urging local people to use them to grit roads and pavements in their communities to help keep Surrey moving during any cold snaps.

The extra salt will allow the council to treat an additional 21 miles of road, which equates to 1,100 miles of gritting runs across an average winter.

The Government has recommended local authorities have enough salt to carry out a minimum of 48 gritting runs so Surrey is ahead of the game with enough stocks to carry out 51 runs.

Ian Lake, Surrey County Council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “While we’ve made sure there’s enough salt to keep Surrey’s key roads open during the winter, we’re also working to fill all our grit bins so residents can help us keep the county moving.

“If residents use this grit to treat their local roads and pavements it will be a huge benefit to their communities, but we would urge them only to use as much as is necessary so the maximum benefit can be felt by as many people as possible.

“If we do get severe weather this winter, we’d like residents to help themselves and us by clearing snow from their properties and by checking on elderly and vulnerable neighbours. If we all work together things will be much easier for the county as a whole.”

You will not be sued for clearing snow and ice away from outside your business or home if someone then slips over.

That’s the voice of reason from Tandridge District Council as it gears up for the winter, following last year’s severe weather.

Residents and businesses are legally entitled to clear ice and snow from outside their home or shop.

Tandridge Council has allayed fears that if you do so, you could be liable if someone subsequently falls over.

“Residents can help by checking on elderly and vulnerable neighbours and clearing snow away around their own properties,” said Council leader Gordon Keymer.

“People may be worried they will be sued if they clear paths, but this is not the case. We have more information on our website about clearing paths safely.”

Tandridge residents are being urged to check out a new section of the council website to see what services have been affected by severe weather this winter.

“If we experience such bad weather again this winter, we will do our utmost to keep services running, but if our staff can’t get to work we have to prioritise which services we can realistically maintain,” added Keymer.

“I would urge residents to check our website regularly and sign up for our news alert e-mail service.”

Weather information

• Website: www.tandridge.gov.uk/weather
• Email alerts: Sign up at www.tandridge.gov.uk/newsdirect
• Gritting and snow clearance: Surrey County Council 0300 200 1003, or e-mail contact.centre@surreycc.gov.uk.
• Clearing Snow guide: www.tandridge.gov.uk/yourcouncil/news/clearingsnow