ROADS workers in Inverclyde have proved they have plenty of grit — and not just eight tonnes of the stuff they carry in the back of their lorries.

The Tele spent Wednesday afternoon with the team as they prepared for snowfall and cold conditions forecast for later that evening and through into yesterday.

We went out on route three — one of eight on a ‘priority schedule’ — to find out a bit more about the work they do and the size of the task they face.

Staff and bosses often come under fire for the condition of carriageways and footpaths.

But as we found out, the workers themselves are often skating on thin ice in more ways than one and putting their own lives at risk driving in dire conditions. The scale of the task facing crews when temperatures plummet and snow falls, like it did yesterday morning, is illustrated by the fact that the entire road network of Inverclyde is 362km in length — the equivalent of Greenock to Gretna and back.

Each route can take over three hours to grit — and the process takes even longer if the plough is needed to remove snow first.

Strone man Mark McGhee drives one of the gritting lorries which keeps most of Inverclyde’s major roads clear and ice-free.

The young dad gained the necessary driving qualifications during a stint in the army and says that while the job is often a thankless task, it is also one he enjoys.

But he points out that the roads team are just as susceptible to the conditions as anyone else — and recalled one occasion when he struggled to keep control of the vehicle around the Dempster Street area of Greenock.

He told the Tele: “We were going sideways – it can be quite scary at times.

“I’ve been doing this four years — we have some good days and bad ones.” Nonetheless Mark and his team-mates are determined to work hard to make sure priority ‘lifeline’ routes — primarily main roads in and out of the district and those leading to Inverclyde Royal — are clear and ‘running black’, before moving onto the rest of the extensive network.

But they have to be satisfied that surfaces are completely clear before moving onto the next leg of their seemingly neverending tour of the district.

Even some of those key routes are tricky for the team, as we saw first hand when we headed off from the roads department’s East Hamilton Street depot to start gritting from the Bullring roundabout down through Gourock, up winding roads through the Dunvegan estate, then down onto Cloch Road, onto Inverkip and back to fill up the lorry and start all over again.

Roads superintendent Neil Orr said: “If snow lands at this time of the day you get caught in traffic.

“When drivers see blue lights coming they get out of the road but when they see us they don’t.

“We could be on a route for hours until it’s running black — that means the remainder doesn’t get gritted and they suffer until we are finished.

“We cannot leave one and start another when it’s a main road and it’s not completely clear.

“Then if we’ve got any police, fire brigade or ambulance calls, we have to get to them, which can also have a knock-on effect. Emergencies come first.

“Unfortunately we can’t be everywhere at once.” Neil has worked in the department for 27 years, having risen through the ranks from a roads worker to chargehand to foreman, then finally becoming roads superintendent.

He says there have been a lot of changes but one thing remains a constant difficulty for him and his team — the volume of traffic.

Neil said: “There’s more traffic on the road and that has an impact because years ago it was quite quiet on the roads.

“There are difficulties with drivers not pulling in and when lorries go past.

“The best time for snow for us is when everybody is in their beds when the roads are clear.” For the latest information from the roads department visit the Winter Service Updates section at www.inverclyde.gov.uk and follow the council on Twitter – @inverclyde.

FACTFILE The road network of Inverclyde is 362km.

It can take three hours to grit priority routes.

Lorries can carry up to nine tonnes of grit.

The council has 15 vehicles to help clear snow.

Staff are on 24-hour standby, October-May.

On average 25 tonnes of grit will be used on eight priority routes.

In excess of 50 tonnes could be used each day.

The district has over 270 grit bins.