Wales-wide gritting guidance considered after ice accidents

Councils could get gritting guidelines from Welsh ministers after 69 road accidents in icy conditions in north Wales within a few hours.

Some authorities said they did not grit until the morning of 11 January as forecasts indicated roads would not freeze.

Darren Millar AM said authorities used different manuals for guidance on when to grit.

Transport Minister Edwina Hart said she was considering issuing guidelines.

Mr Millar, Conservative AM for Clwyd West, said two documents were currently used as a resource by local authorities - some councils currently referred to one of the documents when deciding when and how to treat roads, while other local authorities consulted an alternative guide.

He said that meant there was no consistency across the road network.

"Earlier this month marked the 10-year anniversary of a tragedy in my own constituency, where four cyclists were killed in Towyn on the A547, following the failure of the local authority, Conwy, to grit at that time," he said.

"They revised their approach to gritting of the roads as a result of that accident, and I just wish that other local authorities would do the same in light of what happened last week."

Responding in the Senedd, Mrs Hart said: "I am discussing with senior officials whether I should issue guidance that should be adopted by local authorities - that is, one single guidance with regard to the gritting of roads."