Gritting team gets ready for action in Notts

The county council’s hazard forecast were at ‘red’ status on Friday evening for the first time this winter season in the event temperatures reached –2 deg C that night - signalling the need for gritting machines to swing into action.

The county council’s gritting teams have been on standby since 1st October although the school half term week usually signals the first frost of the season.

The authority said it has a capacity for a total of 22,000 tonnes of salt with around 18,000 tonnes currently in stock - but already some 12,000 tonnes more than official government recommendations, putting the county in a strong position for dealing with winter conditions.

Salt barns are located across the county at Markham Moor, Bilsthorpe, Newark and now Gamston with further salt storage in Kimberley.

Following construction of the new £500,000 salt barn at the Gamston highways depot over the summer a further 3,500 tonne of rock-salt is now being delivered to ensure it is at full capacity.

The county council has a fleet of 23 front line gritters plus reserves and a team of dedicated drivers to deliver the gritting operation for this coming winter.

Coun Richard Jackson, committee chairman for transport and highways at Notts County Council said: “We have learned a lot in recent years from bad weather in the winter and are in a strong position to deal with any prolonged cold spell.”

“The clocks going back this weekend also signal that winter is on the way. We have large stock piles of salt and are determined to keep the county on the move again this winter.”

Residents can keep tabs on when the county’s roads are being gritted by signing up to the Council’s Gritter Twitter feed to receive the latest gritting alerts and help them plan their winter journeys.

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