With hot weather affecting some roads the gritters are out in Buckinghamshire

Usain Salt and Snow Farah gritters.

Transport for Buckinghamshire are deploying gritters to tackle the effect of the prolonged hot temperatures on the roads.

With road surface temperatures in some places now regularly exceeding 50 Degrees Celsius by mid afternoon road surfaces are beginning to soften. As bitumen bleeds through to the road surface it can look very black and slick, particularly on roads that are subject to a high level of turning and braking movements from traffic or that do not get any shade.

Buckinghamshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Transport Cabinet Member Mark Shaw commented: ‘This is not a problem unique to Buckinghamshire, roads are suffering all over the country at the moment as this unbelievable weather persists!

Look out for our gritters spreading sand and dust over the roads in Bucks over the coming days and weeks, to absorb the bitumen and help prevent deterioration of the road surface. My huge thanks go to TfB teams working in sweltering temperatures to keep the roads safe.‘

The gritters will continue operating until the extreme hot weather conditions subside and road surfaces return to a more normal temperature.

The country is currently experiencing the longest period of consistent hot weather since 1976, with temperatures frequently reaching 29 Degrees Celsius and above, with no sign of things cooling down soon.

The hot weather is also impacting on the progress of Transport for Buckinghamshire’s summer road resurfacing programme because temperatures are too high to lay down certain types of surface treatments.

Whilst there are not currently expected to be any long term effects to the condition of the highway network, road users are asked, as usual, to exercise care while travelling, including taking care of their vehicles and themselves. While vehicle breakdowns are no more likely in hot weather than any other time the conditions would be very hot and uncomfortable. Cars should be checked before longer journeys and motorists should carry plenty of water to keep hydrated.

Buckinghamshire County Council has issued advice to residents to combat health risks from hot weather :

• Wear UV sunglasses.
• Drink plenty of cool drinks.
• Look out for those with serious illnesses.
• Never leaving anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.