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Gritters prepared and salt stockpiled as winter arrives in West Berkshire




Usain Salt, Sir Gritalot and Melty Micky are on the starting blocks and ready for action as temperatures plummet across the district.

They are among West Berkshire’s nine-strong gritter fleet that are now prepped as the council gears up for winter.

Usain Salt
Usain Salt

A total of 2,500 tonnes of salt has been delivered to the depot and test runs have confirmed all the equipment is top notch.

It costs around £2,028 per precautionary treatment of West Berkshire’s primary road network and uses up to 42 tonnes of salt per run.

Stuart Gourley, executive member for environment and highways at West Berkshire Council, said: “Our dedicated winter maintenance teams work tirelessly in all weathers to keep our roads safe.

Melty Micky
Melty Micky

“Preparations like test runs and having salt ready in stock are vital to ensure everything runs smoothly when temperatures drop.

“This is all part of our commitment to keeping West Berkshire moving through winter.”

The council confirmed that they will salt the roads when temperatures are near freezing, typically before the morning or evening rush hours, as these are peak times for frost and ice.

Sir Gritalot
Sir Gritalot

“Real-time data from weather stations across West Berkshire helps us forecast and deploy gritters efficiently, treating the most critical routes first,” the council added.

“In addition to gritting, we are leading a Berkshire-wide initiative with a £225k grant to install advanced thermal sensors on roads and vehicles.

“This technology will help make more accurate decisions about when and where to grit, reducing costs and cutting carbon emissions in future years.”

West Berkshire's gritters are ready for winter
West Berkshire's gritters are ready for winter

There are also more than 446 salt bins, owned and maintained by parish and town councils, which the public can use on public roads and paths during icy conditions.

The council reminded residents, however, that the salt is not to be used on private driveways or footpaths.

Last winter, the area’s gritters covered 11,515 miles, spreading over 2,600 tonnes of salt to keep the district’s roads safe.



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