Gritting 

During the winter months the Highways team along with service provider, Ringway monitor the road surface temperatures each day and decide if a gritting run is required.

Road temperatures can fall below freezing overnight causing surface water to become ice. The grit or rock salt is coated in a special molasses substance to make it stick better to the road surface.

The rock salt is spread across the road surface to prevent ice patches forming. Vehicles driving over the rock salt help to break it down into finer particles and increasing the coverage.

Salt Bins

There will be no new salt bins installed this winter.

Before winter each year the Highways team check all the existing grit bins to ensure that they are all refilled if required and any damaged ones are repaired if possible.

Council-maintained grit bins are either yellow or grey.

Any other colour bins will be maintained by the local parish, town or community council.

During the winter season refilling of the salt bins will only be undertaken following extreme weather and when resources allow.

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. It may not be used on private driveways or paths.

Please use the salt sparingly, if applied correctly 5kg is sufficient to prevent ice forming on 100m of road. 

You are currently viewing a specific article in this edition of the newsletter, you can also read the newsletter in full.