SOMERSET Council’s gritters are poised for action, primed to tackle the icy road conditions expected this winter.
The fleet of 23 winter vehicles stands ready to cover the 900 miles of road in the region at a moment's notice when the thermometer goes south of zero.
In a bid to keep routes safe and passable, last winter saw the same fleet deployed 67 times. There were a total of 2,058 route actions in total.
This helped prevent ice formation over an incredible 83,200 miles of Somerset road system.
Highlighting the importance of their role, Councillor Mike Rigby, Somerset Council’s executive lead member for transport and digital said: "As the winter season approaches, it becomes even more vitally important that road users travel according to the conditions.
"All the preparation of our depots, and all the filling of our salt barns has taken place throughout the summer, so that everyone is good to go when the temperatures drop.
"The team are checking the forecasts every day; as soon as they get the call, the gritters are ready to go."
Gritter driver Josh Russell said: "Please be patient and take care. Allow us to do our job so you can get to yours safely.”
Last year, Somerset’s farmers provided vital assistance to the council by assuming snow ploughing duties when the going got tough.
Over a fifth of the county's roads, which link major towns, villages, and communities on high ground and the important routes across the county for long-distance travel, are set to be treated this winter.
In case of snow, plans are on standby to clear routes as swiftly as possible.
Snowploughs can be fitted to gritters, and agreements with farmers and snowplough operators are in place, ready to activate at a moment's notice.
Local drivers also play a crucial role in ensuring that the roads remain safe to use during the winter.
Even those roads that have been gritted can still reveal patches of ice, thus extra care must be taken in these wintry conditions.
While rain can wash away the salt and in extreme cold can prove too much for gritting alone, drivers are kept safe through the direct advice to take caution in winter.
Updates on gritting activity can be accessed daily throughout winter via the Travel Somerset’s Twitter and Facebook channels.
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