What Is Windrow Clearing? The Ridge City Plows Leave Behind

Snow & Winter · Published September 2, 2026

You clear your driveway, the city plow comes through an hour later, and suddenly there's a dense ridge of packed snow across the bottom of your driveway. That ridge has a name — the windrow — and it's one of the most frustrating parts of a London winter.

Where the Windrow Comes From

When City of London street plows clear the road, they push snow to the sides. Everything that comes off the road piles up at the end of every driveway along the street. It's not personal and the city won't clear it — under the street bylaw, that windrow is the property owner's responsibility.

Why It's the Worst Snow to Clear

Windrow snow is compacted and often mixed with road grit and ice by the time the plow has packed it down. It's heavy, dense, and it always arrives after you've already shoveled — sometimes right when you're trying to leave for work. This is the single most common snow-removal complaint we hear from London homeowners.

What You Can and Can't Do

You cannot legally shovel that windrow back onto the road — that's an offence under the City of London Streets By-law and it creates a hazard for drivers. The snow has to go onto your own property. We cover the full set of local rules in our guide to London snow removal bylaws.

How Contractors Handle It

A good snow removal service clears the windrow as part of the visit and, on seasonal contracts, returns after the city plow passes on major events so you're not left with a fresh ridge. When you're comparing providers, ask specifically whether windrow clearing and return visits are included — not every contract covers them. Ours does; see our residential snow removal page.

The Bottom Line

The windrow is unavoidable in London, but being left to deal with it yourself isn't. It's the exact problem a proper snow contract is built to solve.