COUNTY councillors will consider a review of winter gritting arrangements which will help keep the community and business in the county on the move – including for the first time arrangements to treat some cycle paths.

Following last winter’s severe weather, County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Councillor Mac McGuire commissioned a review of winter gritting arrangements across the county including full consultation with district and parish councils.

The results of the review will be considered by the County Council’s Cabinet on October 26 – including a proposal to trial the use of a quad bike and spray backpacks to treat cycleways in Cambridge and footpaths across the County.

The quad bike and brine sprayer will be used to treat the primary on and off-road network of cycle routes within the Cambridge ring road, with the knapsack sprayers used for selected footways across the county.

The precautionary network of roads – which are gritted when below freezing temperatures are predicted – has developed over many years with various roads being added or removed as their importance changed.

Now following the review and consultation a revised network is being put forward. For details go to www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk and follow the links to the Cabinet report.

The Cabinet will consider a new precautionary network across the county consisting of all A and B roads; links to A & E hospital and other emergency services; Strategic locations as defined by Central Government; roads adjacent to major Fen drains; bus routes used more than five times a week; rural bus routes which link isolated hamlets and distributor roads to industrial estates.

Councillor McGuire said: “I am very pleased at the way the district and parish councils took part in the consultation and generally the responses have been supportive and positive, acknowledging the work to review the network and to do everything we can to keep the community and business in Cambridgeshire on the move when bad weather hits.

“I am also heartened by the reaction of City, District, Town and Parish Councils to our call for more mutual support during more extreme weather conditions and I look forward to this closer working during the winter season.

“I am particularly pleased that despite the increasing pressure on our budget we have been able to put forward proposals to treat some cycle lanes and footpaths on a trial basis.”