Guildford Farmers Ready To Help Keep Snowy Roads Open

Published on: 17 Jan, 2013
Updated on: 17 Jan, 2013

St Catherine’s residents clearing snow in 2010

51 farmers across Surrey, including several within the Guildford Borough area, are again on standby to help clear and grit roads if threatened snowfall materialises and road conditions in the county become difficult.

The scheme to pay farmers an allowance to be on call was brought in after reviews of council action during recent periods of snowy weather.

Paying the farmers, who normally have tractors at their disposal to push snow ploughs and tow grit spreading trailers, is seen as a more cost efficient option than increasing the amount of council snow clearing equipment.

It is understood that farmers will be called to concentrate on minor roads while council workers keep the prioritised main routes open.

In Guildford at least one residents association is know to have reviewed its own snow clearing equipment recently. Lorimer Burn, Chairman of St Catherine’s Village Association, said: “We know that we cannot expect the council to keep our residential side roads open so we have equipped ourselves with snow shovels, distributed throughout St Catherine’s, checked our grit bin supplies and warned volunteers to be ready to act if necessary. Last year the system worked and we hope it will this winter too, if the snow arrives.”

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