Road gritting teams on standby as temperature drops across Notts

Winter scene of country road and bridge

Road gritting teams are on alert for the weekend ahead with temperatures dipping across Nottinghamshire and snow forecast on high ground for parts of the UK.

Temperatures are expected to fall to a degree below freezing on Saturday in some parts of the city and county, while Sunday will also be cold.

Nottinghamshire County Council says its road gritting teams are on standby to keep the county moving if ice does arrive.

The authority currently has 19,281 tonnes of salt stored in its four grit barns and has had gritting teams on standby since November 1.

The council’s winter maintenance manager, Garry Chadburn, said: “Salt restocks have been completed to capacity; gritters have been serviced and overhauled and driver training has been completed.

“The first round of checking and refilling of the 1,300 roadside grit bins for which the council is responsible has been completed and deliveries of salt to parish councils is underway.”

We are determined to keep our county on the move

Coun Kevin Greaves, chairman of the Council’s transport and highways committee, added: “Like most people we keep our fingers crossed and hope that the coming winter won’t be too severe, but we have to be realistic and plan for the worst.

“Our year-round preparations mean that we will be ready to act as soon as any bad weather arrives.

“We are determined to keep our county on the move this winter.”

Each time the gritting teams go out they salt around 1,120 miles of road across Nottinghamshire, concentrating on A and B roads and main bus routes.