Island Roads Reports Mildest Winter In 13 Years With 22 Gritting Runs

Island Roads made 22 Island-wide gritting runs this winter, marking what has been the mildest season in the 13 years the company has managed the Isle of Wight’s highway network.

Most of the gritting runs took place during the cold snap over Christmas Eve and the New Year, with crews working on consecutive days between December 24 and January 10.

Across the season, just under 370 tonnes of salt were spread to keep roads safe and accessible.

By comparison, during the 2024/25 winter, gritters made 40 runs, depositing 830 tonnes of salt, while the previous season saw 32 runs using nearly 479 tonnes.

Despite the milder temperatures, the Island experienced one of the wettest starts to a year on record, with the equivalent of six months’ rainfall falling across January and February alone.

Combined with freezing conditions, the heavy rain increased flooding risks and created ideal conditions for potholes to form.

An Island Roads spokesperson said:

“While there have been fewer gritting runs this winter, the workload across the business hasn’t eased.

"Between gritting and maintenance to tackle potholes caused by the unusually heavy rainfall, it’s been another very busy winter season.

“I’d like to thank our winter maintenance staff for their dedication and hard work over the season – particularly as much of the required gritting took place in very cold temperatures while most people were enjoying the Christmas and New Year period.”

Island Roads added that, although the official winter season has ended, crews will continue to monitor forecasts and are ready to grit the network if unseasonably cold weather returns.