Gritting and salt bins

- Overview
- Gritting routes and priorities
- Request gritting
- Salt bins
- Request a salt bin refill or a new salt bin
- Traffic cameras

Overview

In wintry conditions we make sure that roads in Gateshead are as safe as possible by gritting the roads and clearing snow. 

This can start as early as October, with staff constantly monitoring weather data, CCTV cameras and weather reporting tools.  

Priority is given to main arterial roads and primary bus routes, with limited treatment being provided to non-priority roads during extended periods of bad weather.

Gritting routes and priorities 

In Gateshead we have almost 600 miles of road, and we must prioritise our gritting routes. 

• Priority one - main roads with high levels of traffic, for example the Felling by-pass and the A195 through Blaydon
• Priority two - other main roads and bus routes

These two routes cover 323 miles of our roads, over half of the total network.

In deep snow we use snow ploughs to clear roads and help us continue gritting - this inevitably leads to snow being piled until we can clear it.

View a map of our gritting routes (Image, 958 KB)(opens new window)

We do our best to clear pedestrian areas and footpaths. Priority is given to locations such as health centres, shopping centres, bus stops, footbridges, and areas where a large number of older people live.

We cannot clear residential areas during periods of adverse weather unless it is for an emergency.

We do not grit private roads.

The A1 and A194(M) are gritted by National Highways. For information on their winter gritting programme, phone their enquiries line on 0300 123 5000 or visit their website (opens new window). 
 

Request gritting 

• Salt bins are positioned around Gateshead for you to use on roads and paths. 
• You can use our online form to request gritting for special circumstances, such as funerals or planned hospital visits. 

Request gritting

Alternatively, you can call our customer service team on 0191 433 7000.
 

Salt bins

We provide salt bins to help you to keep residential roads and streets clear. These are usually located where there is most need - for example streets on a steep hill that are not included in our priority gritting routes.

We refill salt bins regularly, but during severe weather we can't provide timescales for this as our workforce will be very busy. 

Please do not use salt from our salt bins on your own private property - salt bins are for communal use to help members of the public to keep roads and public footpaths safe for traffic and pedestrians. 

We no longer sell rock salt to members of the public or businesses. Rock salt can be purchased at DIY stores across the borough.
 

Request a salt bin refill or a new salt bin

During severe weather, requests for refills will only be considered after we have gritted our priority routes. 

Salt bins will only be topped up on request when resources are available. We refill our salt bins regularly but unfortunately we can't provide timescales for individual bin refills.

Request a salt bin refill or a new salt bin

Alternatively, you can call our customer service team on 0191 433 7000. 
 

Traffic cameras

You can view the Tyne and Wear traffic cameras (opens new window) across Tyne and Wear. These cameras show regular images of traffic and weather conditions and may help to plan your journey.