Stirling Council is urging communities across the area to work together to keep Stirling moving this winter.

Council teams have a priority system during adverse weather so that main routes are treated first, so staff are encouraging residents and businesses to be proactive when the weather worsens.

Priority One Routes receive precautionary salting and are roads which have a cumulative daily flow of more than 800 vehicles a day, including roads to Emergency Services establishments. Priority Two Routes comprise of roads which have a cumulative daily flow of more than 600 vehicles, and are salted if snow and ice is forecast beyond midday.

Priority Three Routes are identified tertiary routes where the cumulative daily flow of traffic is greater than 400 vehicles and Priority Four Routes cover all other roads including residential areas which are only treated in exceptional circumstances, with priority being given to locations with difficult junctions, gradients and bends.

Teams within the council currently have 7,462 tonnes of rock salt stored in Stirling and Callander, and will maintain levels at 7,000 tonnes throughout the winter period until mid-January 2016 when this will be reviewed according to conditions. The supplier for Stirling Council also reports healthy reserves, including 50,000 tonnes of salt stored in Glasgow, which is available for delivery at short notice if the weather deteriorates more rapidly than expected.

Councillor Danny Gibson, Stirling Council’s Environment Convenor, said: “Obviously we can’t stop the weather causing disruption but we can be well prepared to cope with it and we believe we are. Our teams will be keeping a close eye on conditions and responding as necessary throughout the winter period, including posting any information about disruptions to travel and bin collections on our website and social media channels.

“We prioritise gritting by treating the busiest roads first, and not all roads are treated every time the gritters go out. We are asking residents themselves to be aware of this and be prepared by doing their bit and following our ‘top tips’ as the weather worsens.”

Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk Councils are also part of a Mutual Aid Agreement, to share resources during extreme weather conditions or in the event of salt shortages.

The council website has a handy interactive map of gritting routes on their website which shows prioritised streets and locations of grit bins across the Stirling area and a ‘Live Gritters Map’ which shows where each truck is at http://www.stirling.gov.uk/winterroads

Community councils and local volunteers also play an important role in the council’s winter response. Many have already prepared their own winter resilience plans and Stirling Council has issued Community Councils with snow shovels and safety vests so local volunteers can take action to help vulnerable neighbours and other residents if conditions become severe.

Top Tips for working together this winter:

* If you are able, try to clear your own path and pavement in front of your home – or any other building you are responsible for - before the snow can become hard-packed ice, and be aware of where you pile it so it doesn’t block someone else’s property.

* It’s not just grit that can prevent ice forming – ordinary table salt, dishwasher salt, sand or ash will work too.

* Never use hot water to clear ice – the ice will melt at first but if it turns into black ice it can cause a bigger hazard.

* Don’t take unnecessary risks on the road – ice and snow makes it difficult to brake quickly, and wear visible clothes with suitable shoes or boots if you’re walking. * Check Stirling Council’s website – www.stirling.gov.uk – and social media channels - @StirlingCouncil or facebook.com/StirlingCouncil - regularly for the latest news about any disruptions to service.

* Keep wheelie bins off the road so they’re out of the way of snow ploughs and, if possible, move your bin or recycling box as close as you can to a cleared road for collection – but only if you can do this safely.

* Please be aware that in poor conditions our bin and waste collection service will slow down – we will be aware of the homes that have been missed and will endeavour to collect them as soon as possible. Please be patient and only call our Contact Centre if your bin really has been missed out.

* Be neighbourly by checking on older or vulnerable neighbours and helping less able neighbours to clear their paths – if you are worried about someone’s welfare, please don’t hesitate to call the Contact Centre on 0845 277 7000 or 01786 443322.