South East Trunk Roads Ready For Winter

Transport Scotland’s operating company, BEAR Scotland, is ready to keep trunk roads across the South East of Scotland safer through low temperatures and winter weather.

BEAR Scotland’s 47-vehicle winter fleet, which includes 22 frontline spreaders, will be on hand for the duration of the winter period to treat the 505km of trunk roads in the area.

An enormous 25,000 tonnes of salt has been distributed to BEAR Scotland’s seven depots in South East Scotland, to load some of the UK’s largest spreaders such as ‘Scoopy Doo’ and ‘Snow Place Like Home’.

Throughout the winter months, over 175 operatives will be working to keep roads moving. Many will be conducting precautionary treatments to spread pre-wetted salt on routes forecast to have freezing conditions, to prevent ice forming. Others will be in patrol vehicles, monitoring conditions and carrying out any required treatments.

The four major bridges, Queensferry Crossing, Forth Road Bridge, Clackmannanshire Bridge and Kincardine Bridge, will be treated with potassium acetate de-icer by a dedicated tanker sprayer, to avoid salt causing corrosion in the bridges’ steelwork.

Central to BEAR Scotland’s winter strategy is its 24/7 network hub control room working closely with its dedicated winter team to analyse detailed weather forecasts and road temperatures to ensure treatments are carried out as necessary. The team is also ready to monitor and respond to severe weather impacts such as flooding, high winds and landslips.

Mike Smart, BEAR Scotland’s Severe Weather Manager for South East Scotland, said: “Our team will be working tirelessly throughout the winter period to keep South East Scotland’s trunk roads safe and clear.

“It’s important that road users play their part too. Now is the time to ensure vehicles are well maintained. As we head into winter, it’s essential that anyone travelling also pays close attention to traffic updates and weather forecasts, to allow for sufficient planning and time for their journeys.”

Members of the public can track gritters live on the trunk road network using Transport Scotland’s online ‘trunk road gritter tracker’, to confirm gritters locations and which trunk roads have been treated throughout the country.

Last year BEAR Scotland used over 15,500 tonnes of salt in the South East and over 2,800 individual winter actions were undertaken.

The winter service period will typically run from 1 October to 15 May each year and could be extended beyond these dates should conditions dictate.