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State of the Art Gritters to Treat Roads at up to 50MPH
09 October 2020
Highways England has announced that it will be deploying 93 ‘state of the art’ gritters to patrol the 4,400 miles of motorways and major A roads across the UK as we approach winter.
These gritters can treat the roads at speeds up to 50MPH, 10MPH faster than previous models.
These ninety-three are a handful of the 535 gritters that Highways England has available, all of which have had a summer service. Highways England have said that these new models will improve safety for the workers operating the gritters with improved technology and enhanced visibility.
Highways England has 127 depots across the UK roads network and 23 snow blowers which can shift 2,500 tonnes of snow every hour and will also store more than 280,000 tonnes of salt.
Jane Wilkins, winter fleet manager for Highways England said, “The latest vehicles contain innovative technology which includes being able to pre-programme the gritters with information specific to each gritting route. This enables salt to be spread onto the road automatically, considering any specific requirements for bridges, landscape and other road features allowing drivers to give their full attention to driving at all times.
“When the wintry weather does arrive our 1,300 specially trained gritter drivers will be ready to work around the clock to keep traffic moving”.
Highways England has issued this guidance to drivers for driving in severe weather conditions this winter:
In snow and ice, drivers should stick to the main roads where they can and only travel if necessary - drivers are also encouraged to make sure they have a snow kit in their vehicle, including an ice scraper and de-icer, warm clothes and blankets and sunglasses to cope with the low winter sun.
In high winds, there’s a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes, so drivers should slow down and avoid using exposed sections of road if possible.
In heavy rain, drivers should keep well back from the vehicle in front, gradually ease off the accelerator if the steering becomes unresponsive and slow down if the rain and spray from vehicles makes it difficult to see and be seen.
In fog, drivers should switch on their fog lights and not use lights on full beam as the fog will reflect the light back. If you really cannot see, you should consider finding a safe place to stop until it is safe to continue.
Road safety is a top priority for all of us at Marshall Leasing. To find out more about how we manage risk for our clients, please get in touch on 01480 414541 or email info@marshall-leasing.co.uk. Alternatively, please fill out our contact form.
Image courtesy of Highways England.
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