With snow forecast across the capital, Barnet Council is putting its cold weather plans in place to keep the borough moving.
The latest forecast from the Met Office suggests that road temperatures will be below zero tonight (12 January), with widespread icy conditions and a risk of sleet or snow showers. Forecasts for later today, from around 6pm, indicate there may be up to 1cm of slush which may begin to set.
Gritting will take place on all Priority 1 and 2 routes from this evening as the road temperature is expected to fall to -1.9 degrees. Grit bins have already been filled as part of the council’s winter preparations and will be stocked up as needed – members of the public are encouraged to grit outside their properties where they are able to do so.
Gritting crews from across Barnet have already been out 16 times since November 2016, spreading almost 500 tonnes of grit and salt mixture across the borough’s roads. Council depots remain well-stocked with over 1,400 tonnes of salt in reserve.
Councillor Dean Cohen, Chairman of the Environment Committee, said: “Our crews have already been working hard over the Christmas and New Year period to make sure our roads are treated and suitable for travel. We’ll continue to monitor the situation to ensure we’re responding appropriately and have enough supplies.”
Residents are also asked to look out for elderly residents who may be more vulnerable during cold spells. Simple tasks such as making sure neighbours are warm enough, especially at night, and have enough food and medicines can make a big difference.
Keeping warm can help to prevent the chances of catching a cold as well as more serious medical conditions. Further advice on keeping warm and well is available on the council’s website: www.barnet.gov.uk
During severe weather, waste collection crews may be unable to collect recycling and waste which could mean collections have to be rescheduled. Barnet Council will, however, try to complete all scheduled collections where possible, so residents should continue to leave their bins out for collection.
If the weather is extremely cold, the contents of green bins can freeze and become stuck inside the bin which may prevent crews from being able to fully empty it. Should this happens, crews will empty the contents on the next scheduled collection.
For assistance with recycling and waste, contact the council’s Street Based Services by e-mailing sbs@barnet.gov.uk or calling 020 8359 4600