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 10 November 2023, and since then the service has been activated another 47 times with gritters travelling around 10,507 miles and spreading 1,063 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 2 reserve drivers available to be added to the rota if needed.

The gritting routes are serviced by a 4-vehicle team, and it takes up to 5 hours to complete the full gritting route, depending on traffic and weather conditions.

Councillor Alan Quinn, cabinet member for the environment, climate change and operations, said: “Our Winter Service team are always at the ready for any cold snap that comes their way.

“The dedicated team do a fantastic job keeping 290 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