Clackmannanshire Council Online

Priority Routes

Priority Routes

Our forecaster supplies us with a detailed local forecast daily during winter. If the forecast warns of adverse weather conditions, we take action. We also monitor weather conditions 24 hours a day.

Our aim is to spread salt on the roads before ice forms but this is not always possible. Rainwater can freeze quickly and ice can form before our gritters have completed their routes. Additionally, if rain turns to snow during the morning or evening rush hour, traffic congestion makes it very difficult to grit roads.

We use rock salt for winter service operations, however this has a limited impact on icy surfaces when temperatures drop below minus 8 degrees centigrade.

See our priority routes maps for information on gritting routes.

Priority 1 roads

The strategic road network including all major bus service routes, main urban traffic routes, principal routes to most schools and routes to emergency service establishments.

• Precautionary salt treatment between 5.30 am and midnight
• Treatment of ice formations between 5.30 am and midnight
• Snow clearing 24 hours a day

It takes 2.5 hours to treat ice on all Priority 1 roads, so in the morning we start treatment at 5.30 am and aim to finish by 8.00am in order to minimise disruption. Clearing snow can take longer.

Priority 2 roads

These are the major secondary routes which include urban spine roads into housing and industrial areas; certain rural roads and identified routes including major cul-de-sacs in housing and industrial areas; and certain roads opening up less populated rural areas.

These areas are only treated when the prevailing ice or snow conditions are likely to continue beyond midday. They are only treated once the Priority 1 routes are clear.

Priority 3 roads

The remainder of the road network will only be treated in very exceptional weather conditions. Please make use of grit bins where appropriate.

Always drive according to the conditions. Just because a road has a high priority rating does not mean it is safe to drive at normal speeds in poor weather conditions. For more information see our winter driving page.

Footways/pavements

Priority 1 footways

• Immediately outside shops in urban, community or village shopping centres, where there are at least 3 shops.
• Connecting such shopping areas to relatively nearby and identified public buildings.
• Adopted footways in sheltered housing or residential complexes for the elderly.
• One footway along main pedestrian routes which best serves pedestrian traffic and/or serves the most premises.
• Providing a link to old people's homes or sheltered housing complexes from the nearest treated footway.
• Standing areas at bus stops
• Outside the main access gates to schools.

These will be salted each morning that there is snow or ice unless it's expected to melt before 8 am. We try to clear snow mechanically. Treatment for now at other times of the working day will be undertaken the following morning.

Footways will only be treated 6 days a week (Monday to Saturday) except in Alloa town centre when they will be treated 7 days a week in the run up to Christmas.

Priority 2 and 3 footways

The remainder of the footway network will only be treated in very exceptional weather conditions.

Link footpaths will not be treated where alternative, longer, treated footway routes are available.