Everyone knows the feeling of waking up on a cold winter morning to a white blanket stretching over the horizon. Cries of glee sound out from all of the children in the house, exclaiming something about making snowmen in the garden or sledging down the nearest hill. It’s fun, it’s exciting and- oh, great, my car’s stuck. 

 

Despite not yet being a driver myself, I’ve recently come to understand the problems that snow causes to the everyday lives of people across the UK. However magical it might feel, it’s certainly no secret that anyone attempting to make their way to work in any sort of vehicle on a road covered in snow is probably going to find themselves in for a bad morning.

 

I don’t doubt that this experience is universal for all young people around my age; the relief on the faces of my parents and the other adults around me is always blatantly clear to see when they step out of the house and are met by a freshly salted (and entirely snow-free) road.

 

Durham County Council labours tirelessly to make our roads safe for drivers, with thousands of people benefiting from their work each time snowfall threatens to disrupt our transport links. But how?

 

In a press release sent out by Durham County Council, it is explained that an incredible 42,000 tonnes of salt - most of which is mined in Cheshire - is stocked annually across over 2,500 salt bins. That’s a weight roughly equal to 2000 double-decker buses! Councillor John Shuttleworth (pictured above, alongside Durham County Council’s highway team) is Durham County Council’s cabinet member for highways, rural communities and community safety. He reportedly stated that “Our priority is to keep people safe and moving at all times of the year.”

 

The council maintains over 2,000km (a distance further than London to Rome) of roads, so preparations must begin in summer in order to ensure that everything runs smoothly, both for drivers and pedestrians alike. Furthermore, according to the press release, Shuttleworth communicated that “Residents can be reassured that we will be out and and about throughout the winter to ensure that our roads and footpaths are clear and safe”

 

Durham Council possesses 40 power gritters, which are used to distribute the salt across the county. On top of removing snow and ice, these gritters are used to provide the public with frequent up-to-date reports surrounding the weather and travel conditions. This is also done by 12 road weather station cameras, which update at 10 minute intervals. 

 

So, rest assured, the next time the temperature drops below zero, Durham County Council have everything covered (just not in snow)!