Keeping roads and footpaths safe
The Council's Highway Services aim to keep priority roads and footpaths in Milton Keynes safe and, as far as possible, free from snow and ice during inclement winter weather. The Council is in direct contact with a European weather forecasting centre and receives updated weather forecasts on request. The information is used in conjunction with computerised ice detection equipment, which reports current road temperatures.
Live Winter Maintenance updates
If frost, ice or snow is forecast then one of the following procedures are put into action.
- Precautionary salting of main roads before the ice forms
- Salting icy and frosty minor roads
- Snow ploughing and footway clearing
Priority 1 Routes -
These routes are salted every time frost, snow or ice is forecasted. We use 11 lorries each time we salt the priority 1 routes and it takes us 2.5hours to complete. The salting is normally carried out between 7pm and 10pm or between 4am and 7am.
Priority 2 Routes -
Secondary salting routes are important distribution roads that may lead to schools, shopping centres, industrial and other key areas. Priority 2 salting routes are salted when there is more extreme weather. The salting is normally carried out during the daylight hours and only when the priority 1 routes are clear.
Snow Ploughing Routes -
Considered to be the highest priority roads to be ploughed and/or salted in heavy snow conditions. As and when these are considered to be clear the rest of the grid road network will be done as well as main routes to villages, followed by any remaining roads on the Priority 1 network.
M1 Motorway and A5 Trunk Road -
The M1 and A5 are salted by the Highways Agency. For information call 08700 660 115 or visit the
Highways Agency. Some sections of Milton Keynes roads are treated on a reciprocal basis by neighbouring authorities, see the
Mapping Portal for details.
Priority Redways -
During snow and/or prolonged periods of frost/ice, treatment of priority redways will be carried out.
Priority Redways (PDF 631kb)
Footways - Footways subject to normal overnight frosty conditions will not be routinely treated. However, during snow and/or prolonged periods of frost/ice, treatment of City Centre Category 1 footways will be undertaken when resources become available from the carriageway Priority 1 and 2 networks. (Other town centres are treated by our cleansing contractor as part of our Priority 1 footways).
City Centre Category 1 Footways (PDF 92kb)
Car Parks -
The City Centre car parks and service roads are treated as and when salting of Priority 1 routes is carried out. Off street car parks will be treated in conjunction with the Priority 2 network in periods of prolonged adverse weather and then only when resources are not required on the Priority 1 network.
Salt Bins -
We have over 400 salt bins located at various points across the Milton Keynes area to help all road users, including pedestrians. You may use the salt to prevent ice and snow forming on small areas of the road or pathways. Be sparing with any application of salt. When correctly applied, 5kg is sufficient to prevent ice forming on 100m of road.
Salt Facts
Salt is not provided for use on private driveways or private pathways.
If a salt bin is empty or has been damaged or misused, please contact us via the Helpline on 01908 252353 or email
envservices@milton-keynes.gov.uk.
Click on the links below for more information, or email
envservices@milton-keynes.gov.uk
If you would like to contact us or report a problem please complete this report form.
