Early morning trip to grit
Cllr Rob Walker had an extra early start when he accompanied one of our highway’s drivers on their early morning gritting route this week.
Setting off from Honley depot at 5am in the winter is the norm for our experienced drivers but for Cllr Walker it was an exciting new experience.
He said:
“Craig the gritter driver took me out on route 15, which includes Slaithwaite and the high level routes along the A640 and around Scammonden. The snow and ice were not quite as bad as I expected due to the temperature being a degree warmer than had been forecast. That’s the thing with the weather, it can change in a moment, and our crews have to be ready to react.
The gritting teams get lots of information from the central office, where they use the latest weather forecasting techniques and temperature sensors to plan and deliver the service, but they also have an important role in sharing what is really happening out on the roads at any given time.
Whilst today was a straight forward route, Craig spent some time telling me about all the potential hazards they face. They’re often the first people to travel on an icy or snowy road they have to be skilled to deal with the unpredictable – with everything from abandoned cars, to black ice and snow drifts a possibility over a winter season. They might be big heavy vehicles but they can still skid on icy roads.
I really enjoyed spending time with Craig and the team, they do a great job and I now have a much better understanding of the issues they face whilst carrying out their work.”
More information
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