It is important that you are able to travel on the roads as safely and smoothly as possible. That is why the council spreads salt when temperatures drop below freezing or when there is black ice. A team of 40 people and 30 gritting lorries is on standby to grit the roads in Apeldoorn at night. Is it snowing heavily? Then we clear the roads using snow ploughs. We follow a carefully planned gritting route covering the main roads and cycle paths.
De-icing
Fixed gritting routes
The gritting lorries operate according to a fixed schedule. The local authority carries out preventative gritting on main roads, bus routes and cycle routes based on forecasts, i.e. before the roads actually become slippery. The route for rural areas is often planned either before or after the gritting season, as it is often colder there than in the city.
The gritting route has been carefully planned and comprises a network totalling 700 kilometres. These are mainly roads and cycle paths with heavy traffic. Staff carry out gritting on:
- main roads and cycle paths
- bus routes
- access roads to residential estates and business parks
- roads and (cycle) paths leading to public facilities (hospitals and care homes)
- pedestrian areas in the city centre and near shopping centres
- (main) roads in residential areas
Streets that are not part of the gritting route are not normally gritted. Only in the event of persistent icy conditions does the council deploy extra staff to make difficult areas, which lie outside the gritting routes, passable. This primarily concerns ‘hotspots’, such as residential and care homes.
The local council does not grit everywhere
The local council does not have enough material or staff to grit all the streets, paths and pavements. Nor is this good for the environment. The gritting routes have been mapped out in such a way that you do not have to drive far from your home to reach a gritting route.
When should you spread grit?
When the local authority anticipates icy conditions based on the weather forecast, the gritting lorries take to the roads hours in advance. The salt is spread on the roads by gritting machines mounted on lorries and tractors. Sometimes it is necessary to grit the route several times.
How do we spread it?
We carefully assess where gritting is needed and we don’t waste any salt. We use a smart system. All vehicles are fitted with salt and a spreading unit. The spreaders follow the route and the software in the spreading units does the rest. The spreading unit specifies exactly which route they must follow, and automatically controls both the amount of salt and the width of the spread. The drivers keep a close eye on this, but really only need to listen to the sat-nav and drive their vehicle. In this way, we only spread salt on the road and prevent it from ending up on the verges.
Still, it does get slippery sometimes
Unfortunately, no matter how often the local authority grits the roads, this cannot always be prevented. Some gritted roads remain slippery. This happens, for example, on roads and paths with less traffic from cars and cyclists. As a result, the remaining snow is not properly compacted.
Because of the cold, more people are travelling by car. Car tyres compact the snow into a hard mass. If it then thaws and freezes again, this turns into a sheet of ice. Furthermore, salt is less effective when the temperature is below -7 degrees. So always take great care when you’re out on the roads!
You can lend the local council a helping hand
By clearing the snow from the pavement in front of your door yourself and/or gritting it with salt. A You can report any dangerous situations caused by slippery roads, cycle paths or bridges.
Snow clearing in Apeldoorn
Frequently asked questions
How do we spread it?
We carefully assess where gritting is needed and we don’t waste salt. We use a smart system. All vehicles are fitted with salt and a spreading unit. The spreaders follow the route and the software in the spreading units does the rest. The spreading unit is precisely programmed to specify which streets need gritting and how wide the road is. The drivers keep a close eye on this, but really only need to listen to the sat-nav and drive their vehicle. In this way, we only grit the road and prevent the salt from ending up on the verges.
They don’t grit my street – will the emergency services still be able to reach my home?
Yes, emergency service vehicles are designed to cope with a range of weather conditions, including icy roads and snow.
Who decides that gritting is necessary?
The local authority receives information from InfoPlaza. Based on temperature, wind, humidity and their own observations, the ice control coordinator determines whether gritting is required.
How can I tell if the road has been gritted?
You can only tell whether grit has been spread when the road surface is dry. You will then see the white salt lying on the road surface. If we spread grit whilst there is sleet or snowfall, you probably won’t notice that it has been spread.
How are cycle paths gritted?
The local authority uses special sprayers on the 14 busiest cycle routes. These sprayers use brine, which has the advantage of working immediately on slippery surfaces. This is in contrast to road salt, which needs to be worked into the surface first. These machines also have a brush that clears away snow. This ensures the cycle path is cleared more quickly and thoroughly.
Outside these routes (determined in consultation with the Fietsersbond), we spread salt using tractors. These spread salt across the entire width of the cycle path. If there is snow, they push it to the side. The salt takes longer to be worked into the surface on cycle paths than on motorways. This is due to the low tyre pressure of bicycle tyres. As a result, it takes longer for the fallen snow to clear, and snow often remains at the side of the cycle path. The Fietsersbond states on its website ‘Six tips for cycling in slippery conditions’.
Does the local council also grit the roads near schools?
The local authority does not grit the school playground. That is the school’s own responsibility. The routes to the schools are gritted if they form part of the gritting routes.
Are the gritting routes always clear?
The weather cannot always be predicted with complete accuracy. As a result, roads that have been gritted can still become suddenly slippery due to wet patches freezing over. The same applies to snowfall and black ice. This sort of slippery condition cannot be prevented. You should therefore always be alert to road conditions during the winter months.
Does the local council have enough salt in stock?
The municipality of Apeldoorn has made adequate preparations for the winter.
How much salt does the local authority use in a single gritting operation?
The local authority uses approximately 50 to 100 tonnes of road salt. This depends on the type of icy conditions.
Can I get road salt from the local council?
No, the local council does not provide road salt to residents for them to spread themselves. You can buy road salt from supermarkets and DIY stores. It is also possible to hire a salt bin from various suppliers.
How can I report icy conditions?
You can report any dangerous situations caused by slippery roads, cycle paths or bridges. Please bear in mind, however, that as a general rule we cannot deviate from the gritting routes. Exceptions may be made in some cases, but only in very dangerous situations.
How do I report icy conditions at the station?
Prorail ensures that platforms and the immediate vicinity of stations are kept clear of snow and spreads salt in the event of icy conditions. To report icy conditions at the station, please use the Prorail’s website.
Will my household waste still be collected if there’s snow on the ground?
In principle, yes. Unless it is too dangerous for the refuse lorries to enter the street. For this, please keep an eye on the news from Circulus keep an eye on.