Sutton made a priority in cold snap

WINTER maintenance during the cold snap in Sutton has seen twice as much grit used per square metre than normal.

As the Observer went to press, Birmingham City Council had gritted its entire network three times, with Sutton made a priority as measures continued.

A spokesperson said: "The programme includes the footways in Sutton Coldfield and the city centre receiving precautionary treatment.

"It is carried out in some areas using a special spray, because rock salt discolours the special paving materials used.

"Other local shopping centres are cleared of snow when icy conditions persist and resources become available."

He added: "We are gritting at a much greater intensity than usual – 20g per square metre, instead of 10."

The council has a fleet of 35 gritters which are on standby 24 hours a day.

Precautionary gritting is used when frost, snow or ice is forecast along the 27 routes dividing the network – 1182km of carriageway.

Each gritter carries seven tonnes of rock salt, with each run needing about 80 tonnes from Birmingham's 7,000-tonne stock.

Treatment by the service, which operates from the end of October through to the middle of April each year, takes between three and four hours.