Gritters ready as temperatures set to plunge

The weather so far this year has been much milder than usual but weather forecasts for today (Wednesday 29th January) are predicting possible wintry showers with temperatures falling below freezing overnight in clearer spells, allowing icy patches to form.

The forecast for Thursday night is for clear skies which, again, could allow frost and ice to develop in places.

Last year the first severe weather hit Nottinghamshire on 9th January and from then until early April, the County Council’s gritting teams were kept busy helping to keep Nottinghamshire on the move during what was a particularly long and cold winter.

By April, gritting teams had completed over 130 salting runs and a stretch in late March of 20 consecutive nights out on the roads – both new records for the County Council – and a 72-hour marathon over one weekend alone.

The number of times Notts roads have been gritted this year is much lower but the gritting teams have not been idle.

When not out salting the roads, the teams have taken advantage of the mild weather to concentrate on checking, filling and topping up the 1,200 yellow salt bins situated around the county at crucial spots.

The yellow bins are provided and maintained by the County Council where a nearby road is very exposed and severely affected by winter weather, where there is a hazardous junction or where there are lots of pedestrians, especially older, very young or disabled people.