The Ayrshire Roads Alliance undertake gritting on its main road network and other important roads.

Generally routes are planned based on the following criteria: 

• "A" and "B" class roads.
• Accessibility network whereby at least one road to each settlement is treated. 
• In urban areas district distributer roads providing for major traffic movements within towns and districts. 
• Local distributer roads providing for traffic movements into and out of towns, and linking residential and commercial districts. 
• Access routes to Hospitals and Schools.
• Roads with steep gradients that fall towards main roads in residential areas (as far as practical)

The Ayrshire Roads Alliance is responsible for over 2461km of carriageway and over 1971km of footway/footpath.

We do not have the manpower or financial resources to treat this level of asset.

The extent of our gritting of precautionary carriageway network is typical of the level of service provided by other authorities.

Our annually published  Winter Service Plan [PDF 1.28mb]. details our winter maintenance service.

Roads covered in our priority one gritting routes are gritted upon receipt of a weather forecast indicating the onset of frost, ice or snow provided the forecast is issued sufficiently early.

- Gritting is usually carried out prior to the onset of adverse weather conditions.

- Priority two and three gritting routes are gritted as and when resources are available.

The Ayrshire Roads Alliance use a weather forecasting service and decides to grit the network based on the forecast received.

- The decision to grit the road is taken by the Winter Controller who is on standby 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Ayrshire Roads Alliance have implemented a Gritter Tracking system.

- Gritter Tracking provides details of out of hour winter service operations.

- Gritters can be viewed from 4:00pm on receipt of adverse weather forecast.

Private Roads - The owners of the road.

Private Car Parks - The owner/operator of the car park.

Doctors Surgeries - The local practice.

Hospitals - NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Other roads will be considered for treatment, if there is an extended period of sub-zero temperatures or a significant snowfall. 

Grit bins are located throughout East and South Ayrshire for your convenience. 

- Find your nearest grit bin, let us know a grit bin is empty or apply for a grit bin on our  Gritter Tracking system.

Gritter Tracking  has a function that allows you to request a grit bin refill.

- Winter resilience groups should request a grit bin refill by calling or emailing us.

Yes! 

We actively promote winter resilience and work with local groups throughout East and South Ayrshire.

On receipt of a  Winter Resilience Group application we will provide winter equipment, training and personal protective equipment (PPE) to any interested groups who are willing to grit local footways and path access when our resources are not available.

If you're in East or South Ayrshire small quantities of salt for use on the adopted road and footways adjacent to your property can be collected from grit bins located in your local area.

View our grit bins

If your vehicle has been damaged by a gritter call the Ayrshire Roads Alliance on 01563 503 160 (during working hours) 

If there is a burst water main contact Scottish Water on 0800 0778 778.