Summer bank holiday kicks off with gritting debate

Rock salt mined at the ICL Boulby plant in North Yorkshire is used by gritters across northern England and beyond

It might be the start of the August bank holiday weekend - after a long hot summer - but North Yorkshire councillors will meet later to debate the winter's gritting routes.

Members will debate more than 20 requests for changes to the schedule. Eight of them - more than any other area - have come from Boroughbridge, the gritting area which includes Harrogate and was hit hard last winter.

Malcolm Taylor, executive member for highways and transportation, admitted it "might seem odd" to talk about gritting during a summer of hosepipe bans and high temperatures.

But he said: "It's never too early for this debate. Failing to plan is planning to fail."

Last January saw the Harrogate area struggle through the extended cold snap, which caused days of disruption. Six of the changes to be debated concern the Harrogate district.

But officials have recommended just one change for approval, requested by a council in Cumbria which is struggling to access one of its roads because of a landslip.

A report to Friday's meeting recommended North Yorkshire Council carry out gritting close to the Dent Head Viaduct, with Westmorland and Furness Council covering the cost.

Heavy snowfall hit the Harrogate area last winter

One of the gritting requests recommended for refusal was from Drax Power Station, which asked for its material handling entrance to be treated.

The report suggested it be refused due to the risk of setting a precedent for similar requests from other big employers or schools and hospitals.

Taylor said: "It is always difficult to turn down a request, but each one is considered at length given the challenging financial constraints North Yorkshire Council is facing."

He said North Yorkshire's geography and size - the county stretches nearly 120 miles from west to east - made it "extremely challenging" to organise gritter coverage.

"It is especially difficult when you consider the county has almost 6,000 miles of roads," he added.

"That is the equivalent of the distance between North Yorkshire and New Delhi."

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