Page added on February 1, 2012
Leicestershire Gritters Poised For Action
The mercury is set to plummet later this week but Leicestershire’s gritters are ready to keep the county moving.
Should arctic conditions hit, Leicestershire County Council’s 17 gritters, 83 drivers and a network of snow wardens, farmers and 4×4 drivers are ready to roll.
Gritters took to the roads at the weekend, as well as last night, to treat the network as overnight temperatures dipped below zero.
Lesley Pendleton, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “Temperatures in Leicestershire are set to fall later this week but our gritters are geared up to keep Leicestershire.
“We monitor the weather 24/7 and if freezing temperatures are forecast, our fleet of gritters treat almost half of the county’s road network. To ensure we were prepared, we ordered our grit in the summer and still have 10,000 tonnes in stock.
“During a big freeze, our team of community-based ’snow heroes’ play a vital role and I’m pleased by establishing this network, we’re helping communities to tackle local conditions.”
There are 62 snow wardens based in communities across the county who will grit paths and 60 farmers who during deep snow, fit ploughs to their tractors to clear roads.
If heavy snowfall makes driving difficult, a team of 40 volunteer 4×4 drivers will be on hand to deliver hot meals and shopping to the elderly, and help carers and health visitors to reach their patients.
At the start of the winter, the council’s grit barns were stocked up with 16,500 tonnes of grit – enough to fill 12 Olympic-size swimming pools.
For more information on winter maintenance in Leicestershire, and for advice about winter driving and snow clearance of the paths outside your property, visit the website on www.leics.gov.uk/gritting or follow the council on Twitter @LeicsCountyHall .
