Posted on Friday 24th October 2025
Staffordshire County Council’s gritting crews are now officially on standby for bad weather, as the winter gritting season starts.
The third week in October is always the traditional start of the winter season in gritting terms.
From this week, crews will receive live weather updates and winter decision makers will decide when to roll out Staffordshire’s gritting crews and hill contractors.
After putting their machines through their paces and testing their routes earlier this month, crews are now primed and ready for when bad weather hits.
All grit bins and grit piles across the county have been checked and replenished ready for the start of the season, and salt stocks in highways depots have also been topped up.
From now up until the end of April, road surface temperatures will be monitored closely, with crews rolling out if temperatures drop below freezing.
Peter Mason, Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways said:
“The weather is still very mild at the moment, but as we know, temperatures can vary across the county, so while it might be mild in somewhere like Tamworth, it could be close to freezing in higher areas such as Flash in the Moorlands. Our gritting crews are now actively monitoring the weather and making decisions on a daily basis on whether to roll out the gritters.”
As well as gritting crews, the county council’s hill contractors, who help grit higher ground where traditional gritting machines can’t access, will also be ready to spring into action if needed.
Peter continued:
“Our hill contractors do a fantastic job, often in some really challenging conditions up in the Moorlands and in other higher areas of the county. They reach roads and areas that bigger gritting lorries can’t, to make sure we can keep Staffordshire moving whatever the weather throws at us. They really are an essential part of the crew.”
Contractors are paid a retainer for the winter period should their assistance be needed to clear the roads.