Gritting team tackles winter conditions to keep residents safe

Bury Council’s winter maintenance teams have been working day and night to help keep the borough’s key roads moving over the winter months.

The first grit run was on 3 November 2021 and since then the service has been activated another 39 times, with gritters travelling around 9,000 miles and spreading over 1,000 tonnes of salt.

The service is on standby from the end of October until the start of April, ready to act whenever temperatures take a dip. Decisions to grit, or not grit, are based on the local forecast provided by Metdesk. There are 16 drivers and 4 decision makers on a rota throughout the season. There are also 3 reserve drivers available to be added to the rota if needed.

The gritting routes are serviced by a four-vehicle team and it takes up to five hours to complete the full gritting route, depending on traffic and weather conditions.

Councillor Kevin Peel, deputy cabinet member for the environment, said: “Our winter service team is ready for any cold snap that comes their way.

“In Bury we have a dedicated team that does an amazing job keeping 295 roads and streets across the borough clear of ice and snow. They work right the way through the night when conditions demand it and play a key role in keeping essential services running when conditions are at their worst.”

For more information about the winter service, including where we grit and salt bin locations, visit www.bury.gov.uk/gritting

For all the latest council updates follow @BuryCouncil #KeepBuryMoving

For a wide range of practical suggestions and winter weather advice visit https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/barometer/advice

ENDS

Press release issued: 11 February 2022.