Flintshire ready for winter as new gritters prepare to hit the road

Four new gritters have joined Flintshire County Council’s fleet as teams prepare to keep the county moving safely through the colder months ahead.

The replacement vehicles come as the Council gears up for another winter of round-the-clock maintenance to keep highways and other public areas safe and accessible when the icy temperatures arrive.

Every winter, the Council monitors conditions daily to inform decisions about when to grit. Gritters can be mobilised 24 hours a day, seven days a week when conditions require it. The season runs from October 1 to April 30 each year.

Flintshire’s priority gritting routes cover around 560 kilometres of road – representing around 45% of the county’s highway network, including key routes that connect communities and provide access to essential services.

The council operates a fleet of 12 gritters and two reserve vehicles, which can be loaded and ready to hit the roads within 90 minutes of an instruction being issued. They can also be fitted with snow ploughs during periods of heavy snowfall, when they are supported by local agricultural contractors on designated snow-clearing routes.

Once the priority network has been gritted, other roads and key pedestrian areas are also treated when resources allow. This includes town centres, shopping areas, and pavements in the vicinity of hospitals, schools and bus stations.

To support local communities, around 500 grit bins and salt heaps are located across Flintshire. These are filled at the start of the winter season and replenished when necessary.

Councillor Ted Palmer, Cabinet Member for Highways, Assets and Public Protection, said:

“Our winter maintenance teams play a vital role in helping all of us travel safely around Flintshire during the colder months, often working unsociable hours and in challenging conditions.

“These replacement gritters demonstrate our continued commitment to keeping Flintshire moving during wintry weather.

“While it is not possible to grit every road and pavement, our teams work tirelessly to prioritise the busiest routes and key locations, ensuring communities remain connected and essential journeys can continue as safely as possible.”

More information about the Council’s winter maintenance service can be found here: 

flintshire.gov.uk/gritting