... although absolute minimums can drop as low as -8 degrees in the winter months. This means that there is significant risk of overnight ice formation which can cause problems for early travellers.
But these historical averages counted for little this past winter (2010/11) with unprecedented levels of snow falling on the south west and causing major disruption over a period of weeks. Plymouth businesses that had never had to worry too much about gritting and snow clearance previously, were taken unawares and are now seriously considering how to make provision for future years.
What can a Plymouth business do to protect themselves from future snow and ice problems? The answer is Ice Watch, a private gritting contractor, who will monitor local weather and carry out preventative gritting whenever icy conditions are forecast. We can provide monitoring and gritting for any commercial or private premises but our typical clients will be car park owners, property management companies with responsibility for residential or commercial complexes, retail park owners, haulage firms with open air loading and unloading areas, private roads or estates not serviced by local authority gritters, and many more. Ice Watch operates nationally, with access to 150 salt gritters around the country – but we use local contractors within 10 miles of our clients’ premises to carry out the work. This ensures you get people with local knowledge who can get to you quickly, but who are also backed up by the resources of a national operator.
But choosing Ice Watch means you get a lot more than your car park gritted. We aim to prevent ice forming in the first place by proactively monitoring weather daily. If there is any doubt about conditions we will visit premises to assess local temperatures and then inform you automatically when gritting is recommended (you retain the final decision however). We keep full records of our monitoring, site visits, risk assessments and actual gritting or clearing carried out, and these records are available to you if required as evidence. Our salt gritting services also keep the likelihood of accidents low, keeping your people and customers safe, as well as avoiding costly legal claims. And should anyone make a claim for injury or damage against you as a result of icy conditions, your contract with Ice Watch means you are covered by our public liability insurance up to £10 million.
Keeping business and commerce moving is particularly important in the Plymouth area since it is a major hub of economic activity in the region. It lies at the end of the A38 dual carriageway section which links Plymouth to the M5 and hence to London via the M4 and to Birmingham and the Northwest. An important port for many types of freight, Plymouth is an important distribution hub for the local populations of Devon and Cornwall. Many haulage firms operate out of Plymouth and the surrounding areas and there are many retail and industrial parks outside the town centre. Disruption to commerce as well as health services in Plymouth as the result of ice and snow can mean significant problems for a large rural population, not to mention the loss of income to local businesses.
To find out more about how Ice Watch’s service could help you, contact us now for a free quotation. |
