Why We Salt
To make the County’s roads as safe as possible and to reduce delays caused by bad
weather and icy road conditions.
Where We Salt
This year NCC and MGWSP, the service provider, are enhancing the service to ensure more
villages are linked to our priority routes.
A total length of approximately 1,128 miles of road receives precautionary salting. This is just
under half of the total network in the county. The size of the road network, and the fact that it
costs the County Council on average £32,000 to carry out one county network salting, means
that the County Council cannot salt all roads.
Priority is given to those roads carrying the highest volume of traffic and where the risk of
accidents is greatest.
In addition, certain local roads such as those serving industrial areas, shopping centres and
some key roads in towns and rural areas are also salted.
In prolonged adverse weather conditions, that is where the forecast conditions are unlikely to
improve for at least 48 hours and the temperature is not expected to rise above freezing within
that period, additional roads will be treated provided that roads on the precautionary salting
network do not require treatment. In the event of snowfall, roads will be cleared according to
their priority status and need. The map in this leaflet shows the roads in Northamptonshire to
be salted for the winter of 2009/2010.
1,128 miles is the distance from London to Rome
359 miles is a journey from Northampton to Edinburgh
24 hour cover is provided from October to April
It takes 3 hours to salt the priority routes with 27 gritters
This information is also available on the Northamptonshire County Council website.
www.northamptonshire.gov.uk
The Motorways and Trunk Roads are the responsibility of the Highways Agency and their
Managing Agent: – Aone+
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