Blessings were bestowed on Lincolnshire’s gritters during a ceremony at the county’s Sturton by Stow depot by the Bishop of Grimsby, the Right Reverend Dr. David Court.
The annual ceremony, which took place on Wednesday 24 November, plays a meaningful part in the county’s winter preparations, which include assessing salt stocks and test-driving the gritters before icy weather sets in.
The Bishop of Grimsby, the Rt Revd Dr. David Court, said:
"The annual blessing of the gritting teams is an opportunity to thank them for their hard work, heading out in all weathers and at all hours to make the roads as safe as possible for the public to use.
"Many people in Lincolnshire live in rural areas and rely on the roads being gritted to ensure they can still get to the shops, doctors, or even check on family and friends during cold weather. At the ceremony, we blessed the equipment and prayed for the teams' safety."
Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said:
"With winter just around the corner, our gritters are well-prepared, having been out on training runs and testing out routes that will treat nearly 2,000 miles of county roads.
"The Bishop’s blessing will see our teams through the colder months ahead.
"This year, we have a fleet of 43 gritters and 29,000 tonnes of salt ready for use.
"But remember: even treated roads can be dangerous, so please take care and drive to the conditions. Motorists can find out more by following @LincsCC_roads on Twitter for the latest.”
For more information about gritting in Lincolnshire, including what we grit and when we grit, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/faults-maintenance/view-gritting-routes.