We aim to keep the key priority routes - A and B roads, plus other roads of local importance, safe and passable during bad weather.
These 'Winter Service Network' routes cover 1,690km of roads and include access to:
- airports
- major bus routes
- police stations
- ambulance stations
- fire stations
- A&E hospitals
- large industrial establishments.
We do this using 20 gritters, to which we can attach snow ploughs when required. There are 19 routes that take around three hours each to complete.
Trunk roads such as the A27, A23 and M23 are an exception as they are the responsibility of National Highways, which has its own winter maintenance policy.
It is not possible for West Sussex Highways to grit (salt) or clear snow from all other roads, footways or cycle ways.
During snowy weather, neither the County Council nor local councils can respond to additional requests for salting as all our resources are required to keep the main routes open.