Roads

Road Gritting

Frequently asked questions

Where to grit?

Gritting priority is given to 3 types of roads/routes and based upon the recommendations contained in a National Code of Practice.

Priority A - Strategic routes and principal roads, important classified roads and bus routes
Priority B - All other classified roads, important unclassified roads and bus routes
Priority C - In prolonged periods of lying snow/ice, estate and minor access roads in hilly or exposed locations will be treated, and consideration given to important footway routes (e.g. shopping precincts)

Treatment of Priority C locations would only be considered when conditions dictate and when all other priorities had been fully and adequately treated and resources become available.

When to grit?

We are recipients of a specialised winter weather forecasting service provided by the Met Office. The forecast, received on a daily basis, gives predictions of the possibility of freezing road temperatures and snow, and the time those conditions may occur.

In addition, throughout the winter season, an inspector is employed to check the accuracy of the forecast by measuring road surface temperatures. This enables decisions to be made if, or when gritting is necessary. The aim is to treat Priority A roads before road surface temperatures fall to 0°C and all Priority B roads by 7.30am.

Do you provide grit bins?

There are currently 49 grit bins throughout Barking and Dagenham in areas not normally subject to mechanical treatment, at hilly, exposed locations and potentially dangerous road junctions. They are normally placed on site in October and removed in April after the winter. They are restocked with salt when needed.

Requests for the provision of a grit bin are assessed and judged against a criteria. They are only provided if full justification can be shown. Use the online system to make your request.

Can a grit bin be removed?

Often grit bins become the focus of vandalism or the meeting place for youths. If this becomes an unbearable nuisance, a request for the bin to be removed can be made. The agreement of other residents in the area would be needed before the facility is withdrawn. Use the online system to record your request.

Are pedestrians routes gritted?

In very severe weather conditions, especially when snow or ice may remain for some days, consideration is given, in priority order, to the treatment of pedestrian routes - footways and pavements in the following order:

Town centre streets/main pedestrian routes
Shopping frontages
Busy pedestrian routes
Hospitals and doctors surgery frontages/routes
School frontages/routes
Community centre frontages/routes
Steep sections of footway/footpaths
Predominately elderly residents areas
Other residential areas
Industrial estates

Online Gritting Request Form

Contact

Reactive Maintenance Manager

Frizlands Administration Depot

Frizlands Lane

Dagenham

RM10 7HX

Supported by Barking and Dagenham Direct:

Tel: 020 8215 3005

Fax: 020 8227 5184

Textphone: 020 8227 5755

Email: 3000direct@lbbd.gov.uk|

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am - 8pm.