We're prepared, are you?

• Find out if you are on a gritting route - view our gritting map of primary and secondary routes around the county. If you are not on a gritting route, prepare ahead of winter. 
• Stock up on salt/grit - stock up on salt/grit for your personal use from a range of DIY stores. It's also useful to have a snow shovel, a torch, batteries and a first aid kit handy.
• Schools - schools are classed as private grounds and gritting them is not a county council function. We do however give schools in Lancashire the opportunity to buy grit from us at the start of the winter. See our school closures page for the latest unavoidable closures during winter.
• Take extra care - during freezing conditions do not assume a road has been treated and drive with caution, ice could have formed despite our efforts.
• Support for businesses - we give permission for some businesses to use, at their own expense, an approved contractor to clear snow from roads that are not on the county council's priority or secondary networks.
• Travelling safely during the winter - check the weather forecast before you set off and leave extra time for your journey during winter. Despite our best efforts, winter weather can still make roads treacherous and there is no guarantee that roads will always be completely free of ice and snow. See our travelling safely page for further tips and advice.
• Don’t block the road for the gritter - if you park your car on a main road or gritting route during winter, please make sure it's not causing an obstruction as blocked roads could mean we are unable to grit that road.
• Looking after older and vulnerable people - look after yourself and keep an eye on friends, relatives and older neighbours who may be more vulnerable to the cold weather, especially if they suffer from any ongoing medical conditions.
• Grit bins - how often we re-fill grit bins depends on a number of factors including weather, the number of grit bins needing to be filled and the availability of material. Help everyone by not using the grit for purposes other than for gritting the roads and pavements in the vicinity of the bin. They are placed in strategic locations to help deal with specific hazards and using the grit for other purposes could lead to unnecessary risks to other people if the grit runs out.