Croydon Council is gearing up for colder weather with around 4,000 tonnes of salt ready for roads, pavements, and 578 salt bins.

Armed with enough salt to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool, the Council’s gritting team are ready for action. They are guided by real time weather forecasts and prepared to respond to any unexpected change such as sudden cold snaps.

Each of the eight gritters can carry around 8,000 kg of rock salt, which is enough to cover a lightly snow-covered Selhurst Park Stadium, 50 times over.

The Council’s gritter trucks focus on 30% of the borough’s roads. This includes:

  • main roads
  • roads leading to hospitals
  • ambulance and fire stations
  • main approaches to train stations, and bus and tram stops
  • steep gradients
  • footpaths around town centres, local shopping areas and other heavily used paths

The 578 salt bins located across the borough are available for all to use on roads and public paths.

As well as freezing conditions, the Council has also prepared for flooding. The Council’s maintenance teams have cleared gullies and carried out work in flood prone areas such as Caterham Drive in Coulsdon, to try and reduce flood risk.

Being aware on the roads is especially important during the winter months. As daylight hours decrease, drivers should take extra care to watch for pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users – and always remember to obey speed limits. Also, during winter, roads tend to expand and contract in the weather, making them more susceptible to potholes.

The Council plans to invest £14.5m on highway maintenance this financial year. This will improve the borough’s transport network which includes 726 kilometres of carriageways, 1,235 kilometres of footways, and 62 highway-maintained structures and bridges.

Residents can get involved by using grit from salt bins on roads and paths near their homes. Salt bins that need topping up can be reported through Love Clean Streets as well as blocked drains, potholes and any other damage to roads caused by the weather.

“We are working hard to make sure we are ready to keep our residents safe and roads moving during cold and wet weather. Everyone can do their bit by reporting issues like blocked drains and empty salt bins to us through Love Clean Streets.

“When temperatures drop, it’s really important that we look out for others, checking in on vulnerable neighbours and taking care when driving on the roads.”

Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon