London councils ask residents to grit their own roads as capital gripped by five-day cold snap

"Residents are being provided with bags of gritting salt, along with shovels and high-vis vests, to help clear frozen footpaths and other areas the council are unable to cover. Wandsworth Council said it supplied around 20 tonnes of grit to residents, community groups and neighbourhood watch coordinators last year. The scheme proved successful, and the council is repeating it again this winter."

"When temperatures reach zero, the council's fleet of gritting vehicles and dozens of staff are dispatched to clear it away, but with nearly 230 miles of road surface and 450 miles of pavements it is a mammoth task, a spokesperson for the council said. To make the gritting of roads and pavements work effectively it needs repeated treatments especially if temperatures drop further or there is another flurry of snow."

"Snow Friends are described as local people who volunteer to clear snow and ice in their street within a Snow Friends group led by a Snow Friend coordinator. Volunteers are invited to grit residential side streets, as council crews focus on priority routes. A YouTube video created by the council offers guidance on appropriate clothing and shovelling technique. Haringey Council runs a similar Winter Buddies' scheme whereby volunteers grit and clear snow in areas that are not part of the council's schedule."

Wandsworth and other London boroughs provide residents and volunteers with bags of gritting salt, shovels, high-visibility vests and basic training to clear frozen footpaths and residential side streets. Wandsworth supplied around 20 tonnes of grit to residents, community groups and neighbourhood watch coordinators last year and is repeating the scheme this winter. Council gritting fleets and staff concentrate on priority routes, but nearly 230 miles of road and 450 miles of pavements make full coverage impractical. Volunteer schemes including Snow Friends, Winter Buddies and Snow Warden receive salt, equipment and guidance to perform repeated local treatments.

Read at www.standard.co.uk