Ready for Action

Image of a gritter in Thurlby

Lincolnshire’s gritters will be on call 24/7 until April, keeping the county moving during the winter.

As usual, the team will be monitoring the weather around the clock, with the gritters ready to hit the road whenever needed. This year, the council is using a new weather forecasting service to provide a more detailed picture of what’s happening across the county, helping the team respond more effectively.

When temperatures drop, they’ll treat every A and B road in the county - that’s nearly 2,000 miles of highway. They’ll also ensure that, where possible, there’s a treated link to all the main villages, schools and hospitals.

Preparations got underway during the summer, with the council stockpiling around 27,000 tonnes of salt for the winter - and another 3,500 in reserve.

Five new gritters have also been added to the fleet - four at Horncastle and one at Manby - replacing older vehicles that had reached the end of their lives.

Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “Our team make every effort to keep all our major roads clear, whatever
the weather.

“That often means getting out on the roads in the early hours of the morning when the rest of us are still in bed. “While it’s impossible for us to grit every road, we aim to provide a safe route to and from every town and village.

“However, please remember that even treated roads can be hazardous, so do take care and drive to the conditions.”

You can keep up to date with the latest news from the gritting team by following @LincsCC_roads on Twitter.

For further information about gritting, including a map of treated routes and winter driving advice, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk.

Published: 12th November 2019