Gwynedd Council staff have been thanked for getting residents through winter weather.

Council Leader Nia Jeffreys, Deputy Leader Menna Trenholme and the Cabinet member responsible for Highways Services, June Jones, visited Afonwen depot near Pwllheli.

The councillors met gritting staff, learned about work taking place across Gwynedd, and thanked them personally for their continued dedication.

Cllr Jeffreys said: “It has been a pleasure to visit the Afonwen Depot and I am eager to thank all the teams for the work they do throughout the winter to keep the people of Gwynedd safe on our roads.

“They work in very difficult conditions, often through the night when the rest of us are at home with our families.

“It has been an eye-opener to see where the grit is stored and to understand all the work behind each gritting round. I am very grateful to everyone for their work.”

Cllr Trenholme said: “In January when large parts of Gwynedd were under a blanket of snow, we saw how important the work of these teams were. Without them, other key council staff – such as carers and support workers – would not have been able to do their necessary work.”

Cllr Jones added: “It was interesting to visit the depot and learn how grit helps prevent water on the road from freezing. Unfortunately, if the temperature drops below about -7°C, grit does not work effectively and ice can form. “Similarly, when thick snow falls on top of a layer of grit, salt is less effective, and snow and ice do not melt. In these cases, our staff use ploughs to clear the snow, but this slows down the process.

“In icy weather, priority is given to A-class roads, roads to hospitals, public transport routes, and roads leading to schools.

“Once these have been treated, officers work on the smaller lanes, including B-class roads.”