Snow harvesting infrastructure

In the (for the most part) temperate climes of the UK, the country grinds to a halt once every few years when a moderate snowfall occurs.
It is because of the rarity of the event that this happens - it isn't worth the infrastructure required to deal with this relatively rare event.

The major issue is repeated or significant snowfall on roads preventing vehicle progress[1] by exceeding the authorities attempts to clear it. The usual approach is to 'grit' the roads with a mixture of salt and sand. However, I propose that we instead turn this issue into a small business opportunity.

Subsidies should be made available for house-owners on every street to set up a snow-clearing business. Snow of over a derisory amount would be collected and tipped into large covered pits built for the purpose. These would be built under front gardens, in empty lots, accessible back-gardens or the centres of roundabouts - there are many potential sites in most urban areas.

The snow is likely to be too dirty for most uses, however I can think of two. Depending on the nature of the storage pit, acquired snow would either be stored until summer, then used for power generation (perhaps involving a large Stirling motor), or simply for refrigeration purposes (effectively a modern ice house). Either way, as the snow melts it can be released slowly to drain away.

The money currently used to buy, maintain and store snow-ploughs and salt could be turned over in part to subsidising this snow collection, in built-up areas at least. Minor changes in the law might enable people to take time off their main work to help with this effort.

One important consideration is size - the larger the amount of collected snow, the lower the proportional rate of loss due to heat-gain from the environment. On the other hand, the larger the catchment area, the further snow must be transported.

This does decentralise snow clearing - which might be a good thing, since each community is more responsible for its own welfare. Given some freedom to act, a great variety of inventive systems and uses for snow might be made. Some pit-owners may hire people to collect snow, others may just pay by the barrow-load. Still other communities may form a communal system for mutual benefit.

In any case, the roads would be cleared in an environmentally friendly manner, and a new resource would be created.

[1] Pedestrians are currently left to fend for themselves.