Somerset Council’s gritting team help make the county’s roads safer each winter and this year there are two new additions to their vital fleet of vehicles. 

Local school pupils are being challenged to come up with a name for each of Somerset’s new gritters this autumn. 

Somerset Council is working with new specialist contractor Kier to help make roads safer this winter with the two new vehicles as part of its 23-gritter fleet.  

To give the fleet some personality and to raise awareness of winter road safety, the county’s students are being invited to give the new vehicles a name. It might be Taylor Snow-Drift, Reubus HaGrit or, Sir Ian Snowtham  – the council is asking pupils to put their thinking caps on. 

The schools providing the chosen names will receive a visit from the gritter and have the honour of seeing the name emblazoned on the side of the vehicle. 

Want to get involved? Then encourage your school to take part by entering the competition by the 11 October, which was in our schools newsletter, or vote for your favourite from our shortlist on our social networks. Stay tuned to see our shortlist and the winning names.

All entries will be shortlisted by Somerset Council and Kier, which will be followed by the public voting for the winners. The winning schools will receive a special visit from their named gritter. Will your name be chosen? Watch out for our new fleet members this winter! 

Gritting is important during icy months as it helps keep roads safe and reduces weather-related disruptions, whether you’re heading to school, work, or appointments. Road gritting involves spreading rock salt on roads to prevent ice and snow build-up, giving car tires better grip.  

Last year, over six consecutive days, one gritter covered 10,500 miles and used 1566 tonnes of salt, equivalent to the weight of five Boeing 747s. 

Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Digital, said:

It’s a great opportunity for local children to get involved in naming the road gritters. It gives us a great platform to educate schools and families on the importance of gritters and road safety in extremely cold conditions. I can’t wait to see the creative names the children come up with and see some new gritters on the road this winter.

Alan Rigby, an executive from Kier, added:

We are proud to provide road maintenance services across Somerset, and since April have made a significant contribution to maintaining and repairing road defects. We are very prepared for the winter, and gearing up for a busy season, and excited to be working with local schools and the children to make a grand entrance with the new gritters. I hope their imaginations run wild and cannot wait to see what names they come up with.