Gritting crews working round the clock during cold snap

Staffordshire’s gritting crews are working round the clock as the beginning of 2022 sees heavy frosts and forecasts of snow.

Gritters were out from 11am today on higher ground following forecasts of up to 6cms of snow on the hills, while crews are also preparing to go out again this evening and then stand to from 5am onwards on Friday morning.

Crews had been out on Wednesday night across the county and again first thing Thursday morning on higher ground as temperatures fell to -4oC.

David Williams, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: “We have been tracking the weather closely and planning accordingly.

“Our gritting crews were out overnight and then again twice this morning on higher ground, and they are now taking to the roads this evening and will be on standby again before dawn on Friday.

“If people are going to be on the roads tonight or early tomorrow I would ask that they take care, allow extra time for their journey and drive appropriately to the conditions.”

National Highways has advised road users intending travelling through the West Midlands today and tomorrow to check on the latest conditions before setting out, while the Met Office has yellow weather warnings in place for snow and ice in parts of the Staffordshire Moorlands and higher ground until tomorrow.

Staffordshire County Council has a fleet of 42 gritters, including 10 brand new ones bought last year, operating from five depots.

Fully loaded, the new vehicles weigh 18 tonnes with a capacity of six tonnes of salt in the hopper and the capacity to carry 1,200 litres of brine /molasses, which is used to help the salt stick to the road surface.