Agenda item

This report presents Members with information received to date regarding CYC Winter Gritting Policy.

Consideration was given to the Interim Report on the Winter Gritting Policy and in accordance with the timetable for this review the Committee considered the third key objective, which was to identify:

·                current working practices not presently included in the manual e.g. working relationship with call centre to identify residents’ concerns etc.

·                reasons why the council is unable to grit certain road, cycle and pedestrian routes within the city e.g. due to limitations in staff resources, suitable equipment and funding and make available this information in order to control residents’ and visitor expectations

·                a list of secondary roads / routes for gritting where funding and resources allow

The Scrutiny Officer confirmed that it had been found that many of the points raised in relation to the Winter Maintenance Manual were already covered and that few changes/additions were required.

Members were reminded that they had considered information provided in relation to cycle paths at their last meeting but had chosen not to make any recommendations in relation to these as they also related to the third objective to be considered at today’s meeting. 

Members then questioned Officers in relation to this objective and the following points were raised:

·        Possible purchase and use of Huskie vehicles for pavement gritting, snow clearance etc;

·        Scarborough Bridge/Leeman Road cyclepath was heavily used by the public and an important priority route;

·        Gritting of Park and Ride sites;

·        Need to ensure that primary cycle routes were treated;

·        Ward Committees were not always well attended so there was also a need to raise awareness of the Council’s Winter Maintenance Policy via the Council website, library points, Your Ward etc;

·        Any information provided needed to include details of the law regarding residents gritting of property frontages.

Officers answered various questions and made the following points:

·        50% of cycle paths were treated at the present time (mainly main routes into the city);

·        During inclement weather an examination of the primary cycle routes was carried out to determine which was a priority;

• Details of cycle way treatment by other authorities was reported, which showed that York was not unique;
• Government review of Winter Maintenance was due out in July. Understood to include recommendation that Local Authorities should not overstock salt owing to availability issues. Report due to Executive on this subject in September following receipt of details;
• Difficulties in treatment of the Millennium Bridge cycle route (Sustrans responsible for clearing their own routes). Ongoing trials to find suitable treatment for bridge surface.

Following further discussion it was

RESOLVED:        i) That the Committee note the contents of the report and the views of those present at the meeting;

 ii) That the following recommendations be included in the draft final report:

·         the policy be updated to reflect all current working practices

·         information on why the Council are unable to grit some roads and cycle routes be included in the policy

·         up-to-date information on the gritting of ‘main’ cycle access routes be provided on the website, when instructed by the Winter Maintenance Group

·         the treating of secondary routes as detailed in paragraphs 12 – 14 of the report be approved

·     the decision of when to treat secondary routes be the responsibility of the Winter Maintenance Group

·     the list of secondary routes (currently being identified by officers) and the proposed criteria be included in the council’s Winter Maintenance Policy

·     the proposed methods of raising public awareness of the policy outlined in paragraph 15 of the report, be approved

iii)          That following identification of a suitable treatment method for the Millennium Bridge this be included in the policy;

iv)          That a priority list of cycle routes be compiled and their details identified in the policy;

v)            That a city wide communication be undertaken in Your Ward outlining the Council’s Winter Maintenance Policy to raise awareness of why the Authority did what it did.

REASON:                  To progress the review in line with scrutiny procedures and protocols.