Is Cornwall Ready for Winter? Meet the Gritters About to Hit the Roads

Cornwall Council says its gritter fleet is primed for the colder weather, with 28 named trucks on standby as temperatures begin to fall.

A Busy Winter Ahead

Between November and March last year, the trucks treated around 39,000 miles of Cornish roads. That is roughly the same as driving one and a half times around the Earth.

It was also the first winter that the public’s chosen names appeared on the vehicles. Kernow-bys-Grittin, which covers the Callington and Gunnislake area, treated the widest area with 2,053 miles of roads. Crimp my Ride, which covers the Bude area, used the most salt.

Salting helps prevent ice forming by reducing the freezing point of water. This lowers the chance of vehicles skidding or being involved in more serious road collisions.

How Crews Decide When to Grit

Cormac crews are on 24 hour standby every day, including Christmas Day. They respond to constantly monitored temperatures, 22 road sensors and expert weather forecasts.

This information is used to decide whether to salt roads before freezing conditions arrive. When forecasts are unclear, teams are ready to respond to emergencies at short notice.

It takes around three hours to treat each of the Council’s 25 salting routes. These cover around 1,490 km, or 925 miles, of the road network. They include the most heavily used A and B roads, which carry around 80 percent of daily traffic. Cormac also salt routes to key locations such as hospitals, minor injury units, ambulance and fire stations, bus and railway stations and secondary schools.

Cornwall’s main trunk roads, including the A30 to Penzance and the A38, are handled separately by National Highways.

Residents Urged To Do Their Bit

Cornwall Council says that while key roads will be treated, residents can also help by clearing ice around their homes, stocking up on grit for their own paths and checking in on elderly neighbours.

Advice for Drivers

Councillor Dan Rogerson, portfolio holder for transport, said: “We’re as ready as we can be for whatever winter might throw at us this year.

“Keeping Cornwall moving whatever the weather is essential for our economy, and we will be ready for action from now until the start of spring.

“I would also urge drivers to make sure they play their part by checking their vehicles before travelling and keeping an eye on the weather forecast.

“If conditions are poor, and journeys are not essential, consider waiting until the weather gets better, this should improve journeys, and give our gritters a chance to treat the roads.”