Island Roads Gritters Ready To Roll Ahead Of Winter Season

Island Roads’ fleet of gritters will be out on the roads this weekend as the team gears up for the winter season.

The company’s annual “autumn parade” gives drivers a chance to familiarise themselves with their routes and any updates to vehicles or procedures before the colder months set in.

This winter marks the first full season for the six frontline gritters bearing names chosen by Island schoolchildren:

• Snow Wight – Lanesend Primary

• Vanilla Ice – Hunnyhill Primary

• Sir Grit-A-Lot – Wootton Primary

• Gritty Gritty Bang Bang – The Bay Primary

• Sleetwood Mac – St Catherine’s School

• Salty McGritface – Freshwater and Yarmouth CE Primary

Based at Island Roads’ Stag Lane Depot, the gritters are supported by specialist back-up vehicles and a covered salt store holding 1,600 tonnes of road salt.

Last winter, crews used 830 tonnes during 40 gritting runs.

There are no changes to this year’s gritting routes, which can be viewed on the Island Roads website under the Winter Service page.

As the company prepares for winter, landowners are also being reminded to check their trees, ditches and watercourses to help keep roads safe and prevent flooding.

Island Roads says property owners are legally responsible for maintaining trees or branches that could affect highways or public paths — and for keeping ditches clear to reduce the risk of flooding.

Anyone wishing to report unsafe trees or blocked drains can contact Island Roads on 822440 or use the online reporting form on their website.