Nottinghamshire County Council has unveiled its highways preparations for the winter of 2024-25.
The Highways Act of 1980 places an obligation on relevant local authorities to ensure highways are safe during winter conditions, primarily by clearing snow and ice to maintain passable roads.
Nottinghamshire County Council, working with its wholly-owned company Via East Midlands Ltd., is responsible for delivering these winter services in line with national guidelines, ensuring compliance with the “Well Managed Highway Infrastructure” Code of Practice (2017).
Currently, the council maintains a winter service, treating approximately 1,881 km of roads—35% of its highway network—as part of precautionary measures, which falls comfortably within the recommended national range of 24-38%. This proactive approach is supported by a comprehensive “Winter Service Plan,” detailing the operational and logistical measures in place to manage winter hazards.
The winter of 2023-24 was particularly harsh for Nottinghamshire, with extreme flooding caused by Storm Babet and Storm Henk causing widespread damage. In response, Nottinghamshire County Council has allocated additional funding to bolster its winter preparedness.
- £467,000 for drainage improvements: Of this, £300,000 comes from Via East Midlands’ existing budgets, and £167,000 from the County Council’s revenue budget. This is aimed at mitigating the risk of future flooding, which has been a significant issue in previous winters.
- £4.8 million for winter readiness: This significant investment is a combination of £800,000 from Place and Via reserves, £3 million from the County Council’s capital funding, and £1 million from the Council’s contingency fund for 2024-25. The funds will be used to repair roads and enhance the overall resilience of the network.
Improved Operations and Coordination
One of the significant changes in the Council’s approach this year is the integration of gritting and snow ploughing with other maintenance operations, such as road patching and inspections. This “holistic” approach aims to ensure that roads are not only cleared of ice and snow but also maintained to a high standard to prevent further weather-related damage.
Several operational improvements have also been implemented in coordination with neighbouring highway authorities and flood wardens to manage road closures more effectively during severe weather events. Updated agreements now ensure quicker, more coordinated responses to road closures and diversions.
Four additional external teams have been recruited to accelerate gully cleansing operations, with the routine cleaning cycle being reduced from three years to two years in non-flood-prone areas. Furthermore, over 25 ditch-cleaning and culvert improvement schemes have been completed, with more scheduled before the onset of winter.
Via East Midlands Ltd. has also deployed 14 teams to undertake “right-first-time” road patching, ensuring that highway defects are repaired quickly and permanently. An additional two teams will focus on permanent in-lay patching repairs, adding up to 25,000 square metres of road surface repairs over the winter period.
Seven major structural patching schemes are also planned, targeting areas suffering significant deterioration. These large-scale projects are expected to repair approximately 15,000 square metres of road.
The Council has completed the restocking of its grit supplies, with 17,500 tonnes of salt now stored at various depots across the county. This stock exceeds the 10,000 tonnes recommended for a typical winter, ensuring Nottinghamshire is well-prepared for even the most severe conditions. Via East Midlands’ fleet of 31 gritters, including three new vehicles purchased at the end of the last financial year, will cover 23 routes across the county, with additional resources on standby if necessary.
State-of-the-art weather monitoring technology, including the replacement of key sensors on the A611 at Coxmoor Road, will help to ensure accurate, real-time weather data is available to inform the Council’s decision-making processes. This data is crucial for determining when and where to deploy gritting operations.
Parish and District Councils will again be supplied with rock salt to help support local community resilience. Additionally, the Council has strategically placed 1,410 grit bins across the county, allowing residents to assist in keeping local roads and pavements clear during icy conditions. These bins are particularly located at steep gradients and junctions, providing vital resources where gritting trucks may not always be able to reach.
To keep the public informed, a comprehensive communications strategy will be deployed using social media and local news outlets. The Council will also produce a “Severe Weather Booklet,” offering practical advice and key contact details to help residents navigate severe conditions.
