The law on clearing snow and ice from public spaces
With colder months approaching fast, new guidance has been
issued by Directgov on clearing snow and ice from public places. It
states that there is no law stopping you from clearing snow and ice
on the pavement outside your property, pathways to your property or
public spaces.
Last winter, many people helped keep pavements and public spaces
around their homes clear of snow. However, others did not because
of fears of being sued. If an accident did happen, it's highly
unlikely that you would be sued as long as you:
- are careful
- use common sense to make sure that you don't make the pavement
or pathway clearly more dangerous than before.
People using areas affected by snow and ice also have
responsibility to be careful themselves.
Tips and advice on clearing snow and ice
- start early - it's much easier to clear fresh, loose snow
compared to compacted ice that has been compressed by people
walking on it
- don't use hot water - this will melt the snow, but may replace
it with black ice, increasing the risk of injury
- be a good neighbour - some people may be unable to clear snow
and ice on paths from their property
- if shoveling snow, think where you are going to put it so that
it doesn't block people's paths or drainage channels
- make a pathway down the middle of the area to be cleared first,
so you have a clear surface to walk on
- spreading some salt on the area you have cleared will help stop
ice forming - table salt or dishwasher salt will work, but avoid
spreading on plants or grass as they may be damaged by it
- pay particular care and attention to steps and steep
gradients
- use the sun to your advantage - removing the top layer of snow
will allow the sun to melt any ice beneath. However, you will need
to cover any ice with salt to stop it refreezing overnight
- if there's no salt available, sand or ash are good
alternatives.