I am requesting the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000:
1) What was the council’s total budget for its precautionary winter road gritting and salting service in the financial years of 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19?
2014-15: £4,424,550
2015-16: £4,641,001
2016-17: £4,730,466
2017-18: £2,898,572
2018-19: £3,043,501
Please note that there was a step change in the budget from 2017/18 to reflect a change of Term Maintenance Contract, rather than a change in service level.
2) The total number (including both primary and secondary) of precautionary routes covered under the council’s winter road gritting and salting service in the financial years of 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19?
37 primary and 21 secondary – there has been no change over these years.
3) The total number of kilometres (or miles) of road covered under the council’s precautionary gritting and salting programme in the financial years of 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19?
2014-15; 2653km
2015-16: 2664km
2016-17: 2664km
2017-18: 2664km
2018-19: 2664km
We should clarify that these figures represent the primary salting network which is routinely treated in the winter. Secondary routes, which are only treat about 4-6 times a winter cover an additional 559km throughout this period.
4) The number of gritting or salting vehicles the council had access to in the financial years of 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19?
2014-15:
37 Frontline Gritters
5 Reserve Frontline Gritters
21 White-Out Gritters
6 Tractor Mounted
2015-16:
37 Frontline Gritters
6 Reserve Frontline Gritters
18 White-Out Gritters
6 Tractor Mounted
2016-17:
37 Frontline Gritters
8 Reserve Frontline Gritters
18 White-Out Gritters
6 Tractor Mounted
2017-18:
37 Frontline Gritters
12 Reserve Frontline Gritters
17 White-Out Gritters
6 Tractor Mounted
2018-19:
37 Frontline Gritters
12 Reserve Frontline Gritters
17 White-Out Gritters
6 Tractor Mounted