Gritters in action as winter officially gets under way

Staffordshire’s army of gritters will be rolling out for the first time this season, as temperatures across the county have dropped.

The county council’s fleet of 37 gritters will be in action tonight, as road surface temperatures are due to fall below freezing and a frost is expected.

Armed more than 20,000 tonnes of salt stockpiled, highways crews are equipped to battle any adverse weather conditions coming Staffordshire’s way.

Temperatures and road conditions across the network are monitored from weather stations across the county, and a team of winter decision makers make the call on whether to roll out the gritters.

On routine winter days and nights gritters will be focusing on the major routes and extending to the wider network in prolonged ice and snow conditions.

The county’s hill contractors are also called into action on the higher ground in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Staffordshire County Council’s highways lead David Williams said: “We have already put our gritters through their paces to ensure they are ready to go when the bad weather hits, and since the ‘official’ start of winter in gritting terms, our crews have been monitoring the weather daily.

“This will be the first time this season that they’ve rolled out, so will really be great practice for when the really bad weather hits. When it does, we will be pulling out all the stops to ensure our primary and secondary routes are treated across the network.

“Regardless of whether a road has been gritted, motorists need to slow down, take extra care and allow more time for their journeys.”

People can find out more about how the county prepares for winter here.