Safety First as Gritters Start their Winter Work on the Roads

TAMESIDE Council’s gritters have already completed their first significant operation of the autumn and winter season.

Over the coming weeks, as temperatures dip, they are likely to be out almost nightly, covering the borough’s priority routes – including strategic and local roads – to keep them safe and open.

Work with partners such as the MetDesk weather forecasting service, and Vaisala, which provides accurate measurement and observation of critical environmental data, means the authority knows precisely where and when to treat roads.

Cllr Denise Ward, Tameside Council’s executive member for environmental services, said: “My message to people this winter is a simple one – ‘please be patient and give our gritter drivers the time and space they need. The work they are doing has one objective – your safety’.

“I would also ask residents to take care during poor weather, and to park sensibly so vehicles can treat roads outside homes and commercial properties.”

Tameside Council is responsible for all the borough’s highways except for motorways and the A57 through Mottram – which equates to approximately 300km or almost 200 miles from a total network of 760km (472 miles).

Its winter gritting fleet comprises eight vehicles, each capable of carrying up to 12 tonnes of salt and 3,600 litres of brine at any one time. All of them are equipped with the latest technology including GPS tracking and auto-salting.

Leading-edge forecasting data, a dozen-plus weather stations, and years of experience enable council officers to make informed decisions about where and when they need to spread salt so that people are kept safe in even the most adverse conditions.

Residents can do their own bit for safety by spreading grit on the paths and pavements around their homes. However, they are asked to bear in mind that they need to buy any salt for this purpose. The grit stored in bins is only for the public highway and not personal use.

The latest gritting updates are available on Tameside Council’s Facebook page and on X (Twitter) @tamesidecouncil and @tmbc_highways

For more information on winter gritting visit www.tameside.gov.uk/gritting