2014 Winter Service debate: Delivering an Efficient and Winter Service Delivery Plan

Surveyor and Cold Comfort have joined forces with leading salt supplier, Salt Union, to host a free winter service debate for local authorities, giving delegates the chance to review the winter season and consider some of the challenges for the year ahead.

Taking place on June 10 at the Midland Hotel in Manchester, the 2014 Winter Service debate: Delivering an Efficient and Winter Service Delivery Plan aims to capture the current thinking and development in the winter service sector.

This season has seen relatively mild conditions compared to previous winters where most parts of the country experienced record snow falls leading to some of the most challenging conditions ever experienced on the road network. Alongside this, the extreme wet weather this winter has shifted the focus, and in some cases budgets, for many highway authorities as flooding affected many parts.

Last year also saw the release of the latest version of the Appendix H guidance, part of Well Maintained Highways and local authorities are now more focused than ever on becoming more efficient and effective in their approach to winter service delivery.

With this in mind the agenda for the debate will include:

Salt reduction and efficiency

*Salt reduction and efficiency

*Salt storage

*Choosing the right salt: pre-wet vs dry vs treated

*How much should you store?

Making the most of Appendix H

*What are the main revisions to Appendix H and how can they help you

*How efficient use of salt can help

*How are authorities implementing Appendix H and what are the results

*Increasing efficiency or effectiveness

The event will also feature a debating session which will look at funding for winter service delivery and ask whether future annual budgets are likely to be reduced as a result of mild winters and pressures to address flooding issues.

There will also be two workshop sessions which will consider lessons learnt from winter 2013/14 and changes to winter service strategies and new technology.

Availability is limited so don't miss out on your chance to hear what is expected to be some very interesting sessions.