Winter Service

The ability to maintain the Island’s highway network in a safe condition is fundamental to the economic wellbeing of the Island and is a very visible facet of the highway service.

Island Roads’ aim is to manage and maintain the Isle of Wight’s roads and footways to ensure that everyone is able to move around the highway as safely as possible. This includes keeping the roads and footways clear of obstructions, snow and ice wherever possible.

To help us manage our teams to provide a responsive and efficient service, our gritting fleet is fitted with GPS which allows us to monitor progress and record the treatments applied to the network. 

Where do we treat?

The Isle of Wight Council determines which roads are treated in freezing weather. The Council’s focus is on the Island’s key routes as it is not practical or economical to salt every road.

To view our gritting routes, click on the maps below:

PLEASE NOTE: These routes may be subject to change when traffic diversions are in place.

Winter maintenance headquarters

Our depot at Stag Lane is home to our six frontline gritters, back-up and specialist vehicles as well as the Island’s road salt supply which.  We begin each year with a stockpile of 1,600 tonnes which is more than enough to cope with even exceptionally severe winter weather. We can always obtain additional supplies in the unlikely event they are required.

Around 50 staff are based at the depot which also houses our gully-emptying and street cleansing teams.

Gritting vehicles

Our state-of-the-art gritters are fitted with ‘pre-wet’ technology which sprays salt with a brine solution prior to spreading. This limits salt drifting on to grass verges or hedges and ensures the salt sticks to the road.

How can you help?

Before setting off in adverse conditions, please check your vehicle, route and the weather forecast. Follow the AA’s winter driving advice and listen to the local radio for travel news while driving.

Find out more

You can find out more about our winter maintenance activities and how we keep the network safe in winter by watching our short video below:

Further information:

Winter Weather Advice – Isle of Wight Council

Met Office