Summer may not yet be over, but Calderdale Council is busy preparing for its winter service, with plans being made to accommodate the salt required to grit roads as necessary.
The Council’s winter service runs from October to April each year. During this period conditions are monitored 24 hours a day and decisions made on gritting and when required, clearing snow and stocking salt bins.
To safely store the salt used to keep people safe on roads and footpaths during bad weather, the Council is building a salt barn at the Ainleys depot site in Elland which will have the capacity to store 12,000 tonnes of salt. It will also protect the salt from the elements, enabling the Council to reduce the amount of salt it uses by up to a third on precautionary grit runs, as dry salt has a greater spread rate that wet salt.
To maintain an uninterrupted gritting service throughout Calderdale whilst construction of this facility is taking place, the Council will operate a temporary salt storage facility from within North Bridge car park in Halifax. Work is starting at North Bridge this September and for safety reasons it will be necessary to close the section of the car park underneath North Bridge whilst the facility is in place.
North Bridge car park has been identified as the most appropriate site for the temporary storage due to its size and ease of access. It is also far enough away from residential properties to prevent disturbance. The site will be used until work on the salt barn is complete, this is due to be early 2022.
Motorists should also be aware that a section of Bowling Dyke Road, adjacent to North Bridge, will be temporarily reduced to a single lane with traffic signals in place. This work is a precautionary measure due to minor structural issues detected within the arches under the road and will be in place until a permanent design solution has been completed and works undertaken.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services, Cllr Jenny Lynn, said:
“We always begin to plan for winter well in advance and make sure arrangements are in place to deal with any disruptive weather during the coldest months of the year.
“As well as our usual arrangements, this year we’ve also had to make additional plans for our salt storage whilst work is taking place on a new facility at the Ainleys depot in Elland.
“We want to make sure our gritting programme is as efficient and economical as possible and the new covered storage will protect salt from the elements and reduce waste and environmental impacts by preventing runoff.”
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategy, Cllr Jane Scullion, said:
“Whilst work is taking place on a new salt barn, it’s been necessary to identify an alternative location to store the salt required for road and footpath treatments this winter. After considering a number of locations, a section of the car park at North Bridge in Halifax has been identified as the most suitable location for this temporary storage.
“This does mean that the capacity of the car park will be temporarily reduced and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Spaces around the leisure centre side of the car park will still be available but alternative parking options can be found on the Council’s website.”
For parking options in Calderdale, visit https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/residents/transport-and-streets/parking/car-parks-and-street-parking. For more information about the Council’s winter service, visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/winter