Snow - Community Self Help
When we experience disruptive snow, West Sussex County Council’s gritting lorries work around the clock to keep the main transport links open, but where does that leave the majority of us in Burgess Hill who live on roads that do not get automatically gritted?
Burgess Hill Town Council takes the lead on liaising with the County Council to deliver 1 Ton bags of salt to strategic points around our town for people to ‘self-help’ by putting this salt on the footways where they live. This is subject to availability of the salt.
The Town Council also co-ordinates a small team of maintenance staff, plus volunteers, to respond to areas where more gritting is required, but these resources are limited and we cannot get to all of the roads in Burgess Hill.
Self-help
This is where our community can get involved. If you and your neighbours struggle to get out of your road after heavy snow falls, have you considered locating a grit bin in your immediate neighbourhood where you can all access it and manage the gritting where you need it most?
The Town Council has limited funds available to purchase grit bins in the town and if you and your neighbours would like to request a grit bin, please contact Burgess Hill Town Council by calling the Help Point on 01444 247726 or emailing helppoint@burgesshill.gov.uk, stating the exact location where it can be positioned, and your request will be considered.
Dependent on where the grit bin is located, the following action is required:
– If the grit bin is to be located on private land, consult with your neighbours to check they are happy with the location and how it will be managed.
– If the grit bin is to be located on the public highway, permission is required from West Sussex County Council.
– If the grit bin is to be located on district owned land, approval is required from Mid Sussex District Council.
Please note that in ALL cases, West Sussex County Council will need to be aware of the location of the bin so that they can add the bin location to the salt / grit schedule for filling.
Once the request has been approved the Town Council will coordinate getting the grit bin filled by West Sussex County Council, subject to salt availability.
The County Council will fill the bin with grit when resources allow, however, they cannot refill grit bins when grit stocks are critical. The grit is for use on the public highway (pavements/roads) as a form of self-help and is not meant for private driveways etc.
Contact details for West Sussex County Council and Mid Sussex District Council
Mid Sussex District Council
Emergency Planning & Outdoor Services Manager
Oaklands
Haywards Heath
RH16 1SS
Tel: 01444 477374
West Sussex County Council
Winter Service Manager
Southern Area – Area Highways
Clapham
Worthing BN13 3UR
Tel: 01243 642105
Litigation
There’s no law stopping people from clearing snow and ice on the pavement outside their home or from public spaces. Its unlikely people will be sued or held legally responsible for any injuries on the path if they have cleared it carefully.
A snow-clearer does have a duty to clear with reasonable care so as not to create a new and worse risk. In a letter sent by the Ministry of Justice it stated that “The prospects of a person who volunteers to clear snow from a pavement being successfully sued for damages by a person who subsequently slips on the cleared area and is injured are very small”.
Top tips from West Sussex County Council:
– Start early – it’s much easier to clear fresh, loose snow compared to compacted ice that has been compressed by people walking on it.
– DON’T USE HOT WATER – this will melt the snow, but may replace it with black ice, increasing the risk of injury.
– Be a good neighbour – some people may be unable to clear snow and ice on paths from their property.
– If shovelling snow, think where you are going to put it so that it doesn’t block people’s paths or drainage channels.
– Make a pathway down the middle of the area to be cleared first, so you have a clear surface to walk on.
– Spreading some salt on the area you have cleared will help stop ice forming – table salt or dishwasher salt will work, but avoid spreading on plants or grass as they may be damaged by it,
pay particular care and attention to steps and steep gradients.
– Use the sun to your advantage – removing the top layer of snow will allow the sun to melt any ice beneath; however you will need to cover any ice with salt to stop it refreezing overnight.
– If there’s no salt available, sand or ash are good alternatives.