Grit stocks in Wrexham will “not be reduced throughout the winter”, says senior councillor

Grit stocks in Wrexham will “not be reduced throughout the winter”, a senior councillor has said.

Speaking at an executive board meeting on Tuesday( 14 October), Lead Member for Environment and Transport, Cllr David A Bithell outlined the council’s winter maintenance plans for the coming months.

The plan, which is similar to previous years, explains that Wrexham’s service will continue to provide 11 large gritting vehicles together with two smaller ‘demountable’ gritters. Smaller quad bikes and towed gritting appliances “are no longer utilised.”

He also confirmed that the local authority’s salt stocks “will not be reduced” throughout the winter.

Cllr Bithell said: “Fundamentally, there’s no real change to our winter service policy. We’ve historically provided very, very good support to our winter service policy.

“The operations team have reviewed our fleet and obviously made some minor changes.

“We’ve also add clarity to our resilience level by working with the Trunk Road Agency to highlight where we have issues of salts

“Our salt stock will not be reduced. I know there’s an indication in 2.3 of the report that we will hold 5000 tonnes. Our current stock levels are 7000 tonnes, there’s no intention to reduce our salt supplies.

“We’ve also got a winter reserve as well, which is part of the council’s reserves and balances.

The report also references proposals to sign “up to the Welsh Government’s Regional Stock Reserve collaboration project, which is describing as providing the “provision to call on additional stocks retained by Welsh Government at strategic locations.”

This change in arrangements is expected to ensure “‘fresh’ salt products, access to additional in-year capacity and remove the need for expensive stock turning during summer periods.”

Cllr Bithell said: “We’ve also added a resilience with by working with the Trunk Road Agency across North Wales where in the event – and it doesn’t happen very often, but it has happened in the past – in the event that we need to collaborate with North Wales councils.

“We do have the ability now, by having extra resilience across North Wales and supporting each other in times of need.

“Our salt supplies do get regularly replenished now on a regular basis.”