True grit! Trafford Council is preparing to take on the ice and snow due to hit the borough’s roads - with new state-of-the-art gritters.
The One Trafford Partnership (OTP), a collaboration between Trafford Council and Amey, has added five brand new gritters to its fleet ahead of the freezing winter period.
The gritters, which will be deployed across the borough when the temperature drops, are technologically advanced and are fitted with route mapping and sat nav integration systems to further improve the gritting service. They also have onboard CCTV cameras to monitor grit levels in real time.
When the snow and ice arrives, priority is given to maintaining safe driving conditions on frequently used routes, main roads and bus routes, which accounts for nearly 170 miles of Trafford's roads.
The borough’s road network is broken down into priority routes (precautionary network) and secondary routes, with the precautionary routes being treated first.
Residents can also view our five gritting routes on an interactive map.
A grit mountain containing 1,800 tonnes has been prepared at the Amey base in Wythenshawe so that the gritters can fill up and hit the roads at a moment’s notice. The weather conditions are closely monitored by the team between October and April so they are prepared for the arrival of the ice and snow.
Cllr Stephen Adshead, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Highways, Environmental and Traded Services, said:
“Preparing for winter is always a huge job for our gritting teams. Our priority first and foremost is to make sure the roads and pathways are safe for drivers and pedestrians alike.
“These new gritters will provide a number of benefits for the teams including improved reliability, reduced maintenance issues and several technology improvements to offer more precise salt and grit spreading."
Some footways will also be treated if significant snowfall or icing has occurred and those in town centres, shopping areas and other areas of high pedestrian use will be prioritised. Also, the Council has 92 self-help grit bins throughout the borough which can be used by residents on certain sections of the road and pathway.
Report a hazard relating to snow or ice online.
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