Winter service operational plan

Under sub-section 41 (1A) of the Highways Act 1980 the ‘highway authority are under a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway is not endangered by snow or ice.’ 

The County Borough Council in its capacity as Highway Authority within Neath Port Talbot is responsible for winter service activities on all adopted highways in Neath, Port Talbot and the Upper Lliw Valley (except as stated below). 

The South Wales Trunk Road Agency (SWTRA) acts as Agent Highway Authority for the Welsh Government and is responsible for the M4 motorway, A465 and sections of the A48 Trunk Roads in the County Borough including the sections of motorway in each of the adjoining unitary authorities of Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Bridgend. Neath Port Talbot CBC acts as a term contractor for SWTRA in this respect.  SWTRAs Adverse Weather Plan sets out the Welsh Government’s policy and objectives in the context of local service delivery on trunk roads in accordance with Welsh Government’s Trunk Road Maintenance Manual 2015 section 2.2.22, Winter and Adverse Weather Service, Version 4 - 29/7/14. 

Appendix H to Well Maintained Highways, the code of practice for highways maintenance management covers winter service issues and provides guidance to highway authorities on winter service operations.  This code and periodic revisions to it are considered in collaboration with other Welsh Council’s via CSS Wales as part of maintaining this authority’s plan. 

All aspects of this Plan are reviewed periodically in consultation with key stakeholders, to consider any changing circumstances and requests for additional services. The aim is to continually strive to improve upon the effectiveness of the winter service provided. 

The Director of Environment has devolved the planning of the winter service activity to the Highways and Drainage Services Section within Streetcare Services, whilst the execution of winter service activity is undertaken by Streetcare Services in general.

Under instruction from SWTRA, Streetcare Services are also responsible for winter service operations on the M4 between Pyle (Junction 37) in the east and Pont Abraham (Junction 49) in the west, the short length of A48 between Baglan in the east and Earlswood in the west and the A465 between Llandarcy and the County Borough boundary at Glynneath.

Prior to the winter season there is liaison with all neighbouring unitary authorities (Carmarthenshire CC, Powys CC, Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC, CC Swansea and Bridgend CBC) to confirm cross-boundary salting arrangements and also with South Wales Police to confirm contact arrangements in case of emergencies. The cross border salting arrangements can be found in the appendices of this document.

The winter 'risk period' is considered to run from mid-October to mid-March.

At evenings and weekends (out of hours), salting arrangements and any changes to planned action are co-ordinated by the Standby Officer.

Given in the appendices are the identified carriageway routes for pre-treatment salting. These routes have been compiled in accordance with the Winter Service Review reported to the Council’s Environment and Highways Cabinet Board in July 2014. There has since been minor amendments made to the routes to accommodate newly adopted highways & Health and Safety motives.

Pre-treatment salting is carried out such that the identified routes are treated prior to the forecast time for the onset of frost or icy conditions. Furthermore, if icy conditions persist the routes then continue to be treated as and when deemed necessary. All precautionary treatment routes take approximately 3 hours 30 minutes to complete. Treatment is also carried out on other routes as demand and the level of resources permit with the prioritisation as detailed below. Any post-treatment salting is carried out on a rolling basis using salting vehicles as well as hand salting, again as far as is practical and resources permit. Prioritisation will take into account gradients and usage etc. which will similarly apply during snow conditions where there is a requirement for snow clearing.

• Motorways and trunk roads [as directed by SWTRA]
• 'A' and 'B' roads carrying industrial traffic, access to hospitals, fire stations and emergency centres
• Other 'C' and Class III roads connecting villages to (i) and (ii) above
• Access to key sources of fuel and food
• Bus routes (including school bus routes)
• Industrial estate roads
• Through routes in built up areas
• "Short cut" routes
• Lanes serving isolated farms
• Any other routes deemed necessary at the time

No pre-treatment salting is carried out on footways or cycle routes. However, when icy conditions persist post-treatment salting is carried out on high usage footways including town centre pedestrian areas and strategic footways near schools, hospitals etc.

In appendix 7 is a schedule of locations, listed geographically, that have been identified as being appropriate for consideration for post-treatment salting of carriageways and / or footways where appropriate.

Attached in appendix 1 is a schedule of plant, vehicles and equipment expected to be available for deployment.

With respect to salt bins, an inventory is maintained by the Network Management Section showing the locations of all the salt bins in the County Borough and these are maintained and stocked when necessary by Streetcare Service teams on a rolling basis throughout the winter season.

Salting over level crossings can cause signal faults. There is one level crossing that forms part of the precautionary salting network, situated in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen. Treatment will be undertaken up to the stop line either side of the level crossing as per Network Rail guidance.

In order to monitor weather conditions, the Authority has five weather stations, consisting of two fixed road outstations at Abernant and Banwen, allowing data to be received into Campbell’s ‘Konect Global’ Data Service. In addition, the Council has installed Campbell Scientific remote sensor units, with supporting deep and surface temperature probes, based at Melin Court, Afan Valley and Kenfig Industrial Estate. These weather stations provide live weather information to the Authority’s forecaster.

A detailed daily forecast is received from the County Borough Council's Meteorological Contractor, Metdesk through the winter period. Metdesk’s details can be found below:

The forecast is displayed on MetDesk’s website by 1300 hours each day and the Council also receives advance warning of adverse weather conditions in order to initiate any contingency plans.

A decision as to whether precautionary salting is necessary and, if so, what arrangements are to be put in place is then made by the designated officer who then contacts the on-call service crews accordingly. On the weekends and public holidays the duty standby officer makes the decision whether or not to carry out precautionary salting along with any consequent arrangements. Decision making training is undertaken by all officers who are required to make a decision on precautionary salting. The guidance utilised by decision making officers, which determines whether or not precautionary treatment is required can be found in the Appendices.

The Action is then circulated to the distribution list below via e-mail.

• Ambulance control
• Bridgend CBC
• Business Support Officer, Engineering and Transport
• Carmarthenshire CC
• City and County of Swansea
• CCTV NPTCBC
• Concierge, The Quays
• Customer Service Centre
• Director of Environment
• Dwr Cymru
• Exactrak
• Fire Control
• Fleet Manager
• Head of Streetcare
• Highways and Drainage Service Manager
• Metdesk
• Network and Programme Manager
• Powys CC
• Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC standby
• Senior System Support Officer
• South Wales Police
• Standby 1
• SWTRA

The Standby Officer rota and the service standby rota are compiled and maintained by the Highways and Drainage Section within Streetcare Services. The Standby Officer and the service operatives are on standby on a weekly basis. Copies of the rotas are issued to staff as appropriate.

The priorities for dealing with icy conditions on County Borough Roads are as follow:

1. Based on the weather forecast provided by Metdesk the Highway and Drainage Section instructs precautionary salting on some or all of the routes designated in this plan. In the case of a prolonged overnight frost a second run or early morning run may be required.
2. After normal office hours and at weekends, the Standby Duty Officer decides on, or amends, the action to be taken based on the latest weather forecast information available.
3. The routes listed in this plan cover 35% of the county road network.

The Council has 6 county spreader vehicles available, one of which is a reserve vehicle covering the 4 county winter service routes, and the sixth is dedicated for use on the A465.  There are also two snow blowers in the fleet which are stationed at the salt barn in the Service Response Centre, Baglan for county routes. 

The anticipated deployment of plant and operatives is indicated in the Appendices.

Winter service on the motorway and trunk roads is carried out in accordance with the South Wales Trunk Road Agency Adverse Weather Plan and in accordance with Welsh Government’s Statement of Service and Code of Practice.

The Welsh Local Government Association recommends that salt stocks are replenished prior to the winter season to levels of 1.5 times the average salt usage over the past 6 years. The authority recognises the importance of these minimum required levels, which resulted in the recent construction of a new salt barn located at the Service Response Centre, The Quays. The Highways and Drainage Section manages a planned storage capacity of 7500 tonne of rock salt to be used on County roads.

The rock salt is currently obtained from:

Irish Salt Sales Co.

Fort Road

Carrickfergus

Co. Antrim N. Ireland

BT38 9BT

Rock salt for use on SWTRA routes is ordered directly by SWTRA and stored at Ynysforgan, Margam and Pont Abraham Depots.

All drivers and supervisors involved in Winter Service operations are trained to appropriate City and Guilds Vocational Qualifications. Refresher training relating to loading and driving is also carried out for all operatives annually prior to the winter season. Risk assessments are also distributed to all operatives identifying the risk and appropriate control measures associated with all operations involved in the winter service operation. A copy of relevant health and safety information is also located in the salt barn at the SRC. Due to issues associated with lone person working a mate is deployed on the treatment route that runs over the Bwlch Mountain. Drivers in general operate with mates during snow ploughing.

All garaging, servicing and maintenance arrangements are carried out by Fleet Services working out of Tregelles Court, Neath Abbey and fitters are available on a standby basis. The Fleet Manager is responsible for administering any vehicle contract hire arrangements deemed necessary.

Calibration of salt spreading equipment is carried out by ECON, the manufacturers of the vehicles involved in the service operation.

Fuel stocks are kept and maintained at The Quays, Briton Ferry and Tregelles Court, Neath Abbey.

The South Wales Police Authority act as a liaison body for the passing of information to broadcasters relating to hazardous road conditions in the County Borough maintenance area.

The main hazards reported are:-

1. Fog
2. Severe frosting
3. Snow
4. Obstructions e.g. wind, flooding and rockslides.

All information is passed to South Wales Police Headquarters for the attention of the Operations Room Duty Inspector.

To avoid duplication, information is only transmitted by the Head of Streetcare or nominated representative. All information must be clear and precise, as it is intended for broadcast word for word to avoid editorial problems.

In ‘white out’ conditions, service operations will continue on both Motorway and Trunk Roads as directed by SWTRA.

Following routine salting County Road vehicles will revert to principal road salting and ploughing at the onset of snow and will continue until the situation is under control. In a snow clearance situation more resource can be drawn from across Streetcare Services to assist operations. Ultimately, others may be mobilised from construction and private industry.

Remaining resources will cover other roads including known ‘black spots’ and hand spreading of salt will be carried out as set out in this plan, as resources permit and as directed by the Duty Officer dependent on demand and information to hand.

Contracted resources will be directed by a designated officer who will keep a log of hours worked etc.

'Road Closed' signs will be kept at the ready for immediate placement.

The SRC at The Quays will be staffed continually and a log of reports from supervisors, drivers, police and the public etc. will be kept.

All calls received will be diverted from the contact centre to the staff at the SRC coordinating service operations.

Where possible, a wall map of a suitable scale will be kept up to date to show conditions of roads within each area so that a quick, visible appraisal of the current situation is to hand, thus enabling the senior officer on duty to divert resources to where it is most needed. Supervisors and operatives will report back to the Service Response Centre on the severity of conditions regularly and ask for further instructions.

• Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council - 01639 686868
• South Wales Trunk Road Agency - 0845 602 6020
• Powys County Council - 0845 054 4847
• Carmarthenshire County Council - 01267 222288
• Bridgend County Borough Council - 01656 642541
• City and County of Swansea - 01792 841601
• Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council - 01443 425001

Website 

www.npt.gov.uk 

Social Media 

www.facebook.com/NeathPortTalbotCBC 

Appendix 1 - plant/vehicle deployment for precautionary salting

Appendix 2 - Human Resources Deployment for precautionary salting

Appendix 3 - cross-boundary spreading arrangements

Bridgend CBC

• B4282 Bryn to Maesteg - NPTCBC to treat and turn at county boundary.
• B4283 Water Street, Margam - NPTCBC to treat and turn at county boundary.
• A48 Margam to Pyle - NPTCBC to treat and turn at county boundary.
• A4107 Bwlch mountain road Abergwynfi to Nantymoel - Bridgend CBC to treat beyond county boundary to turn at picnic area.

Powys CC

• Rhos Common – Crynant to Glanrhyd road - NPTCBC to treat approximately a length of 100m out of the county boundary to the junction with the road entering Crynant forestry (forestry commission land).
• A4109 Onllwyn to Coelbren - Powys CC to treat beyond county boundary to junction with A4109. Turn right and free run to junction with C0197. Turn right onto C0197 and commence salting to county boundary.
• Pontneathvaughan - NPTCBC to treat B4242 Pontneathvaughan Road beyond county boundary and turn left to treat into Ystradfellte Road and turn at entrance to Glynneath Golf Club.
• A4067 Ystalfera by-pass - NPTCBC to treat beyond county boundary to Gurnos roundabout.
• B4599 to Gurnos Road and Ystalfera - NPTCBC to treat from junction of B4599 and Gurnos Road (Tesco R/A) to county boundary.

Carmarthenshire CC

• A4068 Cwmllynfell to GCG - NPTCBC treat Gwilym Road to county boundary at Cefn Bryn Brain before travelling to recommence saltting at county boundary by the Brynamman Rugby Club.
• A474 GCG to Garnant - NPTCBC treat and turn at county boundary.

Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC

• C239 Pontwalby to Cefn Rhigos - RCTCBC to treat to beyond boundary to turn in lay-by in NPT.

City and County of Swansea

• A483 Fabian Way - NPTCBC to treat westbound carriageway beyond county boundary to Docks entrance, turn left and treat around bend and past Gower Chemicals then return and treat eastbound carriageway back to and beyond county boundary and into NPT.

Appendix 4 - precautionary salting routes - highways

Appendix 5 - precautionary treatment decision making guidance

The decision to undertake precautionary treatments should be, if appropriate, adjusted to take account of residual salt.

All decisions should be evidence-based, recorded and require continuous monitoring and review.

Decision on treatment timing should account for traffic and road surface wetness at time of treatment and after, as well as forecast conditions.

Appendix 6 - treatment matrix guidance

Content

Appendix 7 - post treatment salting

Bryncoch

• Furzeland Drive
• Farmers Road
• Llygad yr Haul
• Cwmbach Road

Rhos

• Delfordd Road
• Plas Road

Alltwen

• Heol Phillip
• Lon Tanyrallt
• Derwen Road

Pontardawe

• New Road
• Waun Penlan
• Ffordd Parc Ynysderw
• High Street

Cilmaengwyn

• Cilmaengwyn Road
• Tanydarren

Ystalyfera

• Ynysydarren Road
• Rhiw Road to Gwrhyd
• Heol Las to Gwrhyd Road
• Church Road to Gwrhyd Road
• Gwyhyd Road

Tonna

• School Road
• Fairyland Road

Cadoxton

• March Hywel Estate

Neath

• Dwr Y Felin Road
• St Davids Street
• Woodland Road
• Wellfield Avenue

Baglan

• Elmwood Road

Sandfields

• Southdown Road
• Dew Road

Aberavon

• Newton Avenue
• Nobel Avenue
• Pendarvis Terrace

Port Talbot

• Corporation Road

Margam

• Bertha Road

Cwmavon

• Bwlch Road
• Lane off Station Road

Croeserw

• Bryn Siriol Lane

Glyncorrwg

• Heol Yr Afon
• Road Cymmer to Glyncorrwg

Crynant

• School Road

Seven Sisters

• Bryndulais Row
• Bryn Bedd

Banwen

• School Road
• Highland Crescent

Glynneath

• Fire station access road
• Whitting Street
• New Street/Lancaster Close

Resolven

• Waterfall Road
• Tan y Rhiw Road

Cwmgwrach/Blaengwrach

• School Street

Abergwynfi/Blaengwynfi

• Western Terrace

Brynamman

• Barry Road
• Glyn Road

Gwaun Cae Gurwen

• New Road
• Derwydd Avenue
• Heol Hir
• Lon Beliglas

Trebanos

• Graig Road

Rhiwfawr

• Rhiw Road
• Gwrhyd Road
• Coedfadlau Road

Cilybebyll

• Wigfa Road
• Plas Road
• Church Road