Somerset Council and its new winter service partner Kier Transportation Ltd are working together to keep roads safe this winter with the gritter fleet ready to head out when freezing temperatures or snow are forecast.
Kier started work operations with Somerset Council in April 2024. As well as key winter service requirements such as gritting and other emergency functions in adverse weather, the arrangement covers road repairs, drainage and verge cutting.
Gritting involves spreading treated rock salt on roads to help prevent ice and snow buildup. This is extremely important during icy months as it helps keep roads safe and reduces weather-related disruptions.
Road users need to be ready too for adverse conditions. As the winter season approaches, it is vital that you travel according to the conditions and your vehicle is suitably maintained. You can find out more on driving in adverse weather conditions here, from Somerset Council’s Road Safety Team – Adverse weather conditions (somersetroadsafety.org)
Preparation of the Council’s depots, and filling of its salt barns has taken place throughout the summer, so the team is ready when the temperatures drop.
The Council’s winter team will also be topping up gritting bins in communities across Somerset.
Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Executive Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services, said:
As the winter weather approaches we would ask people to please plan ahead and make sure you drive according to conditions in order to stay safe.
Ice can still form on roads that have been gritted and extra care needs to be taken in winter weather. Please be patient on hazardous roads and do not try to overtake gritters while they are treating roads, they’re doing their job to help keep you and other road users safe.
Rain can wash salt away and in very low temperatures gritting may not be enough to prevent freezing – so drivers are always advised to take extra caution in winter.
I would also like to thank Somerset’s farmers who are hugely helpful in supporting the Council’s winter services, by taking on snow ploughing duties when conditions become challenging.
Daily gritting updates will be posted on Travel Somerset’s Twitter and Facebook channels throughout winter.”
Some answers to commonly asked questions:
What roads do we treat?
We treat over a fifth of Somerset’s roads, marked in red on the map here. Our gritting network covers all previous routes.
Our main priority is to keep the busiest routes clear whenever ice or snow is expected. The priority is roads that link major towns, villages and communities on high ground and the important routes across the county for long distance travel.
When do the gritters come out?
We undertake gritting when the road surface temperatures are forecasted to fall below 1°C and there is an expectation of ice or snow. Precautionary gritting occurs before ice forms, which usually means our teams are out in the evening or early morning.
In the case of snow, we have pre-established plans and work alongside emergency services and partners to clear the roads as quickly as possible. Our gritters can be fitted with snowploughs, and we also have agreements with farmers and snowplough operators to remove snow on our behalf. We give priority to our primary network and then move on to clear secondary and minor networks as resources permit.
Why don’t we salt every road in Somerset?
We can’t treat every road, as there aren’t enough gritters, drivers and depot staff to make this cost-efficient. However, we are carrying on our work with parish councils to fill roadside grit bins on request and are continuing to run a community-led snow warden scheme.
Name a road gritter
This winter we are working with a new specialist contractor, Kier to help make roads safer with the two new vehicles as part of its 23-gritter fleet. Look out for the two new road gritters which are being named by Somerset school students. We have asked local schools to take part in the creative competition to name our new road gritters. Watch this space for news on the names.
