Gritter drivers ready 24/7 for cold, council says

Gritter drivers are being made available around the clock to help keep residents in Surrey moving as the colder months begin, the council has confirmed.

Surrey County Council said a fleet of 38 gritting vehicles typically travel more than 1,775 miles (2,856km) of its busiest roads before and during severe weather.

Winter road plans tend to run from October until the end of March, but can be extended depending on the weather, it said.

Matt Furniss, cabinet member for highways, transport and economic growth, said the council is committed to keeping its communities safe, connected and moving.

"When temperatures plummet, our gritter drivers across the county are ready and prepared to work around the clock to keep traffic moving on our busiest routes," he added.

This process involves 10,000 tonnes of salt which gritters spread on roads and is stored at four depots across the county.

Its fleet include vehicles named Sub-Zero Hero and Grit Granny, given by schoolchildren in the county, the council shared on Facebook.

It also has two mini gritters "on standby" for harder to reach routes.

Alongside the main gritters, the council said it has filled 1,700 grit bins across Surrey at non-priority gritting routes.

These have been picked as they may have tricky junctions, slopes, hairpin turns or see more pedestrians and traffic flow.

Furniss said the council will "work closely with the Met Office to monitor weather conditions throughout the season".

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