Gritting crews put machines through their paces

It is all systems go for Staffordshire County Council's gritters as they are put through their paces ready for the winter season.

The county's gritting crews have been testing their routes, fitting snowploughs and making sure the machines are in tip top condition.

Now they are ready to work around the clock to keep Staffordshire's roads safe, whatever the weather.

Armed with 38 gritters and snowploughs and more than 20,000 tonnes of salt stockpiled, highways crews are equipped to battle any adverse weather conditions coming Staffordshire's way.

The third week in October traditionally marks the start of the winter season in gritting terms.

From this week, temperatures and road conditions will be monitored from weather stations across the county and, using this data, Winter Decision Makers will determine when and where to send gritters out.

Typical winter days and nights will see gritters primarily focus on major routes. In prolonged periods of ice and snow, crews will work around the clock to treat other routes across the wider network.

Also primed and raring to go is the county's hill contractors, who will out across the higher grounds in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways Mark Deaville said:

"October always marks the first run-out of the season for our gritters, so we can really put them through their paces and check everything is winter ready.

"From the end of the month, crews will be monitoring temperatures and road conditions on a daily basis, and will be sending out crews whenever bad weather hits. Having a day like today reassures us that our fleet of gritters have been put to the test and are well prepared to deal with adverse weather conditions.

"Of course, we'll still be doing our usual road maintenance for as long as weather conditions remain favourable, but our hard working crews are always ready when the bad weather eventually hits the county."

People can find out more about how the county prepares for winter at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/winter.