Updates will be posted to this website when we get them, and to our Twitter and Facebook. You can also discuss the bin collections on the discussion board in Facebook.

The council has issued the following statement: “Bolton Council services for today (6 January) and tomorrow (7 January) during the severe weather. Further heavy snow is expected to fall during the evening and overnight, according to the Met Office, which may affect council services.

Bin collections

Bin collections have been suspended in Bolton today due to the weather. Staff are in work and are gritting and clearing town centre footpaths.

Gritting

Council staff have been gritting and ploughing continually all night and all day today. Due to the volume and depth of snow, the council is concentrating on the main arterial and ring roads, in order to concentrate resources where they will have the most impact. This means that some of the minor roads on the approved gritting routes will not be receiving any attention in the short term. The roads being prioritised are:

All of the A6
Blackburn Rd
St Peters Way
Belmont Rd
Chorley Old Rd
Crompton Way
Scout Rd
Chorley New Rd
Bury Rd
Newbrook Rd
Wigan Rd
St Helens Rd
De Havilland Way
Snydle Way
Leigh Rd
Cricketers Way
Watergate Ln
Smethurst Ln
Bradford Rd
Manchester Rd A666
Church St, Little Lever
Market S,t Little Lever
Stopes Rd, Little Lever
Tonge Moor Road
Hall Lane, Little Lever

Staff will continue gritting around the clock on the main arterial and ring roads until it is safe to reduce the service to its optimal level and address the other roads on the gritting routes. Ploughs will be deployed where snow is two inches deep or greater. All available streetscene and waste management staff have also been out clearing footpaths in the town centres all day.

Schools

Schools which have already planned to close tomorrow can be found on the council website.

Social care

Social care support is being maintained for the most vulnerable people. Those who receive home care services are being contacted individually to receive support.

The ‘meals on wheels’ (community meals) service will be limited but emergency arrangements are in place if needed.

Day care services are expected to be closed for the rest of the week, depending upon the weather.

Social services helpdesk and advice line will be open.

The child protection service will be working.

The council is also asking for anybody who has a vulnerable neighbour to check on them and make sure they are alright and if there is anything they might need.

Libraries and museum

All libraries due to to be open today are open as normal. Highfield Library will be closed tomorrow. Bolton Museum will remain closed today.

Planning Committee meeting

Due to the weather we have had to cancel this weeks Planning Committee meeting tomorrow. It has been rearranged for Thursday 14 January.

Residents and road users are being asked for their views on winter gritting in Bolton.

In light of last winter’s difficult conditions, Bolton Council is reviewing its approach to gritting, and wants feedback on its service.

A survey asking people for their views on the policy is available online at www.bolton.gov.uk/wintergritting or call the consultation and research team on 01204 332012 to obtain a paper copy.

Westhoughton South Liberal Democrat Cllr David Wilkinson called for a review in December and said he was pleased people in Bolton would be part of it. Cllr Wilkinson, who sits on the winter gritting panel, said: “We have learned a lot so far in terms of the work that goes into the gritting operation and I am delighted that people who use the roads will also get their say.”

A Council spokesperson said: “We know it may seem a bit daft to be talking about winter gritting in May but we want to know what the public see as priorities before we put together our next winter gritting scheme.

He added: “We do grit around half of our total road network, which is more than a lot of other local authorities. Following some of the most severe weather conditions in 20 years, the council actually spent an extra £580,000 last winter to make roads and footpaths safer for local residents and road users.”

There are currently 25 gritting routes totalling 430km of road, and around 30 to 40 tonnes of salt are used each time the routes are gritted. The council also places 533 grit bins around the borough.

Council crews work around the clock if there is snow forecast or if the temperature of the road surface is anticipated to freeze.

The Winter Scrutiny committee, comprising councillors from all the Council’s political parties, will look all the feedback received and use this as a basis to make recommendations for the next winter gritting maintenance scheme. 

These will be then developed further during an Environmental Services Policy Development Group.

The closing date for feedback is Friday, June 13.

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