Precautionary gritting of the highway based on forecast temperatures and levels of frost, ice or snow.
The purpose of this service is to minimise accidents and disruption caused by the weather. Designated routes will be gritted when we determine that carriageway conditions require treatment.
It should be noted that gritting does not guarantee that at any given time the highway will be free of ice or snow, even following treatment as Rock Salt becomes less effective in very heavy snow and also at temperatures below -5 deg. C.
How we monitor weather conditions
From October to April we receive daily forecasts of expected weather conditions for a 24 hour period and a prediction for the following five days. The forecasts are specific to Coventry and are based on data received from specialised weather stations across the City, giving information about road temperatures, conditions and existing salt cover. This information is updated every hour, and constantly checked to allow services to act quickly and efficiently.
See this video about how we prioritise which roads to grit:
We aim to:
- Grit 415km of Coventry's network between the start of November and the end of March, as and when required.
- Provide salt bins for public use throughout Coventry.
- In more severe conditions, clear snow from footways around key public and commercial areas.
How you can help us:
- Take extra care when walking or driving in snow and icy conditions
- Remember that not all roads are gritted
- Report empty salt bins
Further winter weather advice is available from the Met Office.