Residents urged to band together and get a free one-tonne community salt bag – before 15 November

15 October 2020

Residents across Aberdeen were today reminded to apply for a free one-tonne community salt bag to treat icy roads and pavements in their neighbourhood during the winter months.

The colder weather since last week has reminded people that winter is fast coming and the deadline for applying for the one-tonne community salt bags is 15 November.

The scheme is designed to help communities help themselves when winter starts and in addition, there will again be big community salt bins in strategic locations around the city.

Some of the salt for the scheme has again been donated by award-winning smoked salmon producer John Ross Jr. The move provides the City Council with ready access to a cleaner salt than previously used and means it no longer needs to buy salt for the community bags.

Aberdeen City Council transport spokesperson Councillor Sandra Macdonald said: "Our teams have been preparing for winter weather for several weeks including the delivery of 2,500 tonnes of salt for gritting last month.

“We have a dedicated workforce of 90 people to cover 24/7 operations on our roads and pavements and they do their best under challenging conditions, often going above and beyond their duty to keep the city moving. Almost half of the city’s roads and the city’s busiest pavement on Union Street are treated before 7.30am.

“Unfortunately, though, our staff can't be everywhere all the time - there are 560 miles of roads in Aberdeen, slightly more than the distance from the city to London, and there are 1,242 miles of pavements which is the distance from here to Rome.

“As always, we hope there won’t be a harsh winter but it’s good for everyone in our communities to be as prepared as possible we have created as many opportunities as possible to enable communities to help themselves and help their neighbours.”

The one-tonne community salt bags, like the salt provided in grit bins, will be for use only on public areas. A secure and accessible area, like a driveway or garage, would have to be available for storing the one-tonne community salt bags.

Any groups which would like a one-tonne bag should email winter@aberdeencity.gov.uk or phone 03000 200 292 before 15 November. The community salt bags are delivered free of charge, are replaced as necessary, and are removed at the end of winter.

The locations for the big community salt bins are Bridge of Don (Laurel Drive), Garthdee (Asda car park – next to recycling facilities), Torry (Girdleness Road), Union Row, Crown Terrace (next to bins), Justice Street (next to recycling bins), Seaton Drive (car park on entry to Seaton Walk), Regent Court (car park), Northfield (Byron Square), Hilton (at the top of Anderson Road, next to Stewart Park), Rosemount (Leadside Road), Kingswells Park & Ride (next to recycling point and bins), Craibstone Park & Ride (west car park), Bridge of Don Park & Ride (next to recycling point and bins), Countesswells Road, Dyce (Asda car park-next to recycling facilities), Fernhill Drive (near Fernhill Road), Johnston Gardens North (At turning area), Tillydrone (Pennan Road – beside Library).

More information about gritting routes and winter maintenance from Aberdeen City Council is available from www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/winter.