However for our hard working Roads Team, it's going to mean more challenges and tough shifts to treat our priority roads and paths for those who need to make essential travel.
A Severe Weather Warning is in place covering West Lothian with expected outbreaks of snow or sleet across the entire county. This will continue to fall throughout tonight and tomorrow morning before eventually stopping just before midday Thursday.
Road surface temperatures will quickly fall below freezing, bringing an additional risk of ice. Winds on Thursday morning will pick up with gusts of up to 45mph possible on exposed routes, which could result in drifting snow.
The primary carriageways will be ploughed and gritted repeatedly overnight. This will not prevent snow from accumulating, but creates a debonding layer which makes subsequent ploughing and snow clearance more effective.
Secondary level 1 carriageways were treated this morning and plans are in place to treat them again from 8am tomorrow. Any remaining resources will be used to treat secondary level 2 carriageways. Footpath and school gritting is planned from 5am tomorrow with additional resources being provided by other council staff to form multiple hand gritting crews.
It is expected that driving conditions will be difficult tonight and tomorrow morning, so please take extra care if you need to travel for essential reasons.
The cloud, rain and snow will move away tomorrow leaving mostly clear, cold conditions with very strong winds and isolated blustery showers. Winds should ease overnight into Friday and it will become drier for a while but turning very windy again through Friday morning.
FAQs below
Q. Where can I collect grit?
A. Salt piles are available to residents on a self-help basis at the following strategic locations:
- Xcite Centre, McGinley Way, Linlithgow
- Xcite Centre, Church Street, Broxburn
- Livingston North Train Station (South Car Park)
- Livingston South Train Station Car Park
- Xcite Centre, Craigswood, Livingston
- West Calder Business Centre, Dickson Street
- Blackburn Partnership Centre, Ash Grove
- Xcite Centre, Jubilee Road, Whitburn
- Xcite Centre, Torphichen Road, Bathgate
- Xcite Centre, North Street, Armadale
Q. Are you refilling grit bins?
A. Our teams have refilled the vast majority of the 2,500 public grit bins in West Lothian with those remaining expected to be done over the next couple of days.
If you are using a grit bin, please only take what you need. If you see any commercial businesses taking grit, please let us know. We are aware of several incidents where grit bins have been emptied almost immediately.
The grit from grit bins isn't for private use in your own garden or path. If you are using a grit bin, please only take what you need for the public path and public road outside your home. If you require grit for your own property, please purchase grit or salt from a retailer.
Q. When I drive behind a gritter, they aren't always spreading grit/salt. Why is that?
A. Each gritter has an allocated route to ensure the network is treated as efficiently as possible. A gritter may be tasked with spreading salt on a route in Livingston therefore doesn't start spreading until it reaches that location. Another reason is that a gritter may have used all its salt and is heading back to the depot for a refill.
Q. If I see a gritter that is not moving, why is that?
A. Drivers need to have a break from driving - it's the law. If one of our gritters hasn't moved in a while, this could be the reason why. Alternatively the vehicle may have broken down and is awaiting recovery.
Q. Why do gritter vehicles spend so much time in and around Bathgate?
A. Our depot is in Bathgate so all gritters need to set off from Bathgate, return to re-fuel, load up with more grit and change drivers. Therefore they are in and out of Bathgate, a lot.
Q. Why aren't you gritting housing estates?
A. The council doesn't have the resources to treat all roads simultaneously therefore we need to prioritise. Housing estates are secondary level 2 routes treated on a reactive basis only during normal working hours. These routes will only be treated when the higher priority routes are deemed to be in a satisfactory condition.
Q. What about railway station car parks and other private car parks?
A. The council don't treat private car parks.
Thank you and stay safe everyone.
