Scottish Borders Council deploys gritters to protect roads in extreme heat

Scottish Borders Council has deployed gritters to spread sand on roads after extreme heat damaged surfaces in the Borders, forcing at least one closure and raising fears of further disruption.

The unusual response came as Scotland endured a June heatwave that pushed road temperatures far above the air temperature. Local reporting said some Borders road surfaces reached about 45C, with one report putting peaks as high as 52C.

The vehicles, normally used in winter to deal with ice and snow, were sent out to lay sand on affected stretches. Council chief executive David Robertson said the aim was to stop the tar from melting.

Road damage in the Borders

The heat has created a problem usually associated with winter in reverse: softened surfaces, rutting and visible road deterioration. The Scottish Borders is one of the areas where the impact has been strong enough to require a direct maintenance response.

Reporting on June 25 said the B6363/B6362 Lauder-to-Stow route was closed because of heat-related damage to the road. That created immediate disruption for local drivers and underlined how quickly infrastructure can be affected when temperatures rise sharply.

The Times reported earlier in the day that some roads in the Borders had reached about 45C, while later reporting from The Scottish Sun said the council had already begun using gritters to spread sand as the temperature peaked.

Why gritters were used

Gritters are normally a winter sight in Scotland, carrying salt or other material to improve traction on ice. In this case, the same vehicles were used to spread sand, helping protect the road surface from further deterioration in unusually hot conditions.

That response reflects a practical attempt to buy time while roads remain vulnerable to heat. The council has not said how many routes may need treatment, but the need to send out gritters in June shows the scale of the strain.

Wider heatwave pressure

The road problem in the Borders is part of a broader transport and infrastructure strain across Scotland during the heatwave. The Guardian and other outlets reported a wider pattern of record-breaking heat affecting public services and travel across the UK.

The research also points to a risk of thunderstorms later in the day, which could create a different set of transport problems once the heat eases. For now, the immediate concern is whether any more roads in the Borders will begin to fail as temperatures stay high.

What happens next

The key open questions are whether Scottish Borders Council will issue further road closure notices, how many stretches will need treatment, and how long the current restrictions remain in place.

For drivers in the area, the main risk is continued disruption if heat-damaged roads worsen before temperatures fall. The episode is a reminder that extreme heat can be as damaging to infrastructure as winter frost.

Further updates will depend on whether more routes are affected and whether the council expands its response beyond the Lauder-to-Stow closure.