Gearing up to keep Sunderland moving this winter - city chiefs sign-off plan to cope with snow, ice and other difficulties

Sunderland City Council’s cabinet have approved and agreed to publish a refreshed ‘Winter Service Policy’ for the 2022/23 period.

The plan sets out measures the local authority will put in place to keep roads clear and “enable everyday life to continue”.

This includes actions to ensure, as far as reasonably practical, that there are safe routes along roads without danger from snow and ice.

Councillor Claire Rowntree, the council’s deputy leader and clean green city portfolio holder, presented a report on the service policy to cabinet on Thursday, October 13.

Cllr Rowntree told the meeting: “The new developed winter policy for 2022/23 provides a clear outline on how the council will manage and respond to winter weather that adversely impacts upon the highway and other priority areas.

“The proposed policy statement provides a range of winter services to the highway network and priority pedestrian areas.

“This will ensure as far as reasonably practicable, that designated roads and footpaths are treated and snow is removed through the 2022/23 winter period”.

According to the Winter Service Policy, the “core winter period” is defined as November to the end of March, with 24-hour staff coverage in place between November 19, 2022 and March 11, 2023.

The council’s Environmental Services team are responsible for all aspects of winter service delivery, which includes work to salt roads.

Priority will be given to main arterial roads and primary bus routes, with “limited treatment” provided to non-priority roads during extended periods of wintry weather.

Elsewhere, work will take place to clear pedestrian areas and footpaths with specific locations such as sheltered accommodation, health centres, shops and bus stops receiving priority.

Sunderland City Council typically has salt stockpiles at strategic locations, as well as a list of “priority hand salting routes” for pedestrian areas, footpaths and other locations.

According to the Winter Service Policy, salt treatment on non-priority roads will only take place when the “topography of the area and road dictates that attention must be given to side streets [and] estate roads with severe gradients.”

In some cases exemptions are made, including a request from emergency services or for an “exceptional event” such as a funeral taking place.

Grit bins will also be provided at a number of locations and refilled subject to “weather conditions and resource availability”.

Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said the cabinet report set out details of “what is a very important service”.

Councillor Linda Williams, cabinet member for Vibrant City, said the plan aimed to be as “fair as possible” within the council’s budgetary constraints.

Cllr Williams added: “It’s always difficult, you can’t particularly predict where and when snow is going to fall the hardest.

“But like everything else, there’s always going to be those complaints from people who can’t get from their estate to the road.

“It’s very much about keeping to that strategic plan […] I must admit that getting off my estate in snow is terrible but as soon as you get onto the ringroad it’s absolutely fine.

“I think we would all love to clear all of those areas so people can get out and get to the shops and walk safely.

“Unfortunately we can’t and I think this is the best that we can offer at this current moment”.

The Winter Service Policy for 2022/23 is expected to be published on Sunderland City Council’s website.