Gritters hit the road as temperatures plummet

GRITTERS will head out onto the county's roads for the first time tonight (Monday) with temperatures set to dip below freezing.

All 31 of the county council's fleet will roll out from depots at 7pm this evening to cover designated routes with temperatures dipping as low as -2 on road surfaces.

Drivers - who last season clocked up around 49,500 miles - have been on standby since mid-October.

The county's depots have stocks of about 13,000 tonnes of grit ready to use and this year, following a successful pilot scheme, all of Worcestershire's gritters are equipped with the latest technology that uses brine solution on salt before it's placed on roads making it work quicker while at the same time cutting waste as it helps more grit stay on the highway rather than bouncing off roads.

Motorists are being urged to drive with caution and never assume it's safe to travel at normal speeds even if they believe highways have been treated with grit.

Coun John Smith, Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: "The teams have been ready to go for a few weeks and the forecasts suggest it's going to be a cold one overnight so they will be rolling out this evening for the first time this season.

"The message to drivers is very familiar but still just as important as ever. Please take care when temperatures dip because grit will never be a miracle cure. Never assume that it's safe to travel at normal speeds when it's icy, even if you think roads may have been treated."

The council's Twitter account, www.twitter.com/worcscc will be keeping people up-to-date on what the teams are doing to keep roads safe.

Regional news »