Cold snap advice
Date: 28 February 2018
Time: 12:19
Orkney Island Council is reminding drivers to be vigilant and take extra care in current conditions and into the next few days.
With temperatures are as low as -6 degrees, and lower volumes of traffic on roads, there is a risk ‘salt’ laid down during gritting will not activate as readily.
Drivers should also be mindful that snow may fall onto frozen road surfaces and ice may form, especially on untreated areas, and be covered by a layer of snow in some places.
Squally conditions mean there is a risk of gritted roads being covered by drifting snow flurries.
At the present time, the Council’s gritting operations are continuing in accordance with the Winter Service Plan, with gritting taking place between 06:00 and 18:00.
This sets out the priority routes gritting teams are focusing on. As and when resources become available and when priority routes are completed, treatment will move onto the more minor roads and footpaths.
Members of the public can flag up problem areas during office hours (9am to 5pm) by calling the Council’s Customer Services team on 01856873535. Outside these hours, report dangerous road conditions to Police Scotland on the national enquiry line 101.