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Operation Snowdrop

Each winter, from November until the end of March, Blackpool Council provides a winter service in order to help provide a safer travelling environment for all highway users and to reduce disruption to road users. This period is known as Operation Snowdrop.

We receive daily Met Office weather forecasts and by late afternoon a decision is made whether or not to send the gritters out to spread salt. 

The forecast we receive includes a graph, showing predicted road surface temperatures each hour for 24 hours and a description of the weather expected over that period. Sensors embedded in the road surface constantly monitor weather and the road conditions. 

This information is used to check if conditions are getting worse or better, so we can react to changes in the weather. This monitoring continues night and day. 

What we grit

There is a primary salting network and secondary salting network. Unfortunately the council does not have the resources to treat all the town's roads.

  • Primary route roads are treated within 4 hours of being notified of potentially hazardous conditions
  • Secondary route roads are treated during particularly severe or hazardous conditions, at the discretion of the winter service manager

Blackpool gritting routes

Requesting roads and pavement gritting

Unfortunately there isn’t enough salt to spread on every road and pavement in Blackpool. We try to ensure that access is maintained to key transport routes and vital services such as doctors and schools.
There are a number of grit bins located around the town which are filled on a regular basis to enable people to grit their own roads and pavements.

For more information on gritting follow Blackpool Council on Facebook or on X (formally Twitter) and search for #bplgrit to keep track of when we're out.