Worcestershire prepares 17,000 tonnes of salt for winter weather
Council gears up with fleet of 36 gritters and emergency services
Worcestershire is stockpiling 17,000 tonnes of salt and readying a fleet of 36 gritters as the county braces for potential heavy rain and storms this winter.
According to Worcestershire County Council, preparations have been in motion since the end of last winter, with vehicles serviced, drivers trained, and salt barns fully restocked.
Chris Riley, the council’s highways maintenance operations manager, believes wet weather will continue until Christmas but acknowledges conditions might change.
Riley highlighted the council's readiness for weather-related risks such as flooding, strong winds, and freezing temperatures.
“We’ve got 17,000 tonnes of salt in stock across the county at the moment," Riley said.
"We’ll be spreading that as needed throughout the winter using our fleet of 36 gritters, treating all A-roads, B-roads, and other significant roads as part of our winter maintenance operations."
The county has around 50 gritter drivers to manage the vehicles, assisted by staff who monitor forecasts and handle severe weather operations.
Worcestershire Council has an out-of-hours emergency service operational year-round, separate from its winter maintenance efforts.
Gritters covered more than 50,000 miles during the previous winter while treating roads in Worcestershire.
Technology fitted to the fleet allows real-time monitoring, aiding highways teams in coordinating their response and covering priority roads.
With over 1,400 grit bins distributed throughout the county, residents are encouraged to utilise the salt and grit mixture on public roads and footways during snow and icy conditions.
Winter seasons are particularly busy for reactive highways maintenance, with teams performing tasks such as emptying gullies and clearing debris screens over culverts in preparation for heavy rains.
Tom Wells, cabinet member for highways and transport, emphasised the dedication of the team behind every gritting operation.
Councillor Wells also advised motorists to prepare for seasonal road conditions by planning ahead and exercising extra caution during severe weather.