Are you Winter Ready?

What can you do to help in Snow and Ice?

Snow and ice often affect us over the winter months.  Clearing snow and ice from the pavement outside your home or public areas can help prevent slips and falls.

Look out for elderly relatives or neighbours.

The Government Met Office advises that during icy and cold weather there are some simple ways you can support vulnerable or elderly neighbours:

  • Check to see if they need any practical help and that they are well.
  • Make sure they have enough food supplies in case they cannot go out.
  • Offer to clear their paths when you clear yours and spread salt. You can use ordinary table or dishwasher salt – a tablespoon for each square metre you clear

If you are worried about anyone you can contact WSCC to ask for help or support by  clicking here.

Clearing Snow and Ice.

A community effort will help towards keeping Hassocks safer in snow and ice.  Individuals can clear snow and ice from pavements and we hope that local traders and residents will be prepared to help our community by clearing outside their premises and key pedestrian walkways.

Clearing snow and ice from the pavement outside your home or public spaces can help prevent slips and falls.

The Government advises that it’s unlikely that you’ll be sued or held responsible if someone is injured on a path or pavement if you’ve cleared it carefully.

You can help your community in heavy snowfall by:

  • shovelling away the bulk
  • sweeping away the rest
  • salting to stop more ice building up.

Top tips.

Liability

Any individual using the grit/salt will be acting on their own initiative and this action will be entirely at their own risk.  It is recommended that the following items are worn when spreading salt: a high visibility vest/jacket, warm gloves and hat, sturdy non-slip waterproof footwear and warm clothes. It is also recommended that if working alone you contact someone when starting and finishing and carry a fully charged mobile phone.

Hassocks Parish Council Winter Plan

In the event of heavy snow fall, Hassocks PC has an arrangement in place whereby Burgess Hill Town Council will deliver hippo bags of salt to pre-arranged locations in Hassocks and Clayton. Only one delivery will be made during the winter.

The hippo bags have been supplied by West Sussex County Council (WSCC), and will only be delivered when WSCC makes the decision to activate its Winter Management Plan.

Parish Locations for Hippo Salt Bags

Clayton          Underhill Lane jct Brighton Road

Clayton          Underhill Lane jct Spring Lane

Clayton          Underhill Lane/The Pump House

Hassocks       Keymer Rd/Woodsland Rd

Hassocks       Keymer Rd/Wilmington Close.

Hassocks       Keymer Road/Ockley Lane

After the bags have been dropped to the designated points, the distribution of salt/grit from the hippo bags will be available to members of the public to use at their own risk.

West Sussex County Council Winter Service

Road Gritting Routes in Hassocks

An interactive map of the WSCC gritting routes can be found by clicking here.

Winter Service Network (Green and blue). The Winter Service Network is the network of roads treated as a precaution to help prevent ice forming.  The network focusses on areas of local importance including major bus routes, emergency services locations and routes to large industrial establishments.

Winter Resilient Network (Green). The Winter Resilient Network is a smaller network which is focussed on key roads which will be treated/ploughed in the event of heavy snowfall (over 5cm)

WSCC Contact centre 01243 642105

The main phone lines are open Monday-Friday, 8.00am-6.00pm. Outside of these hours, for emergencies posing immediate risk to public safety only, calls will be transferred to our out-of-hours service.

If you have a hearing impairment, textphone 18001 01243 642105.

https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/maintaining-roads-verges-and-pavements/road-maintenance/winter-service/