10 things you didn’t know about gritting and the council’s winter operation

With snow falling in Surrey today and temperatures due to plunge overnight here are 10 things you didn’t know about gritting and the county council’s winter operation.

• More than 14,500 tonnes of salt was stockpiled by the council before winter.
• There are 39 gritters in Surrey’s fleet.
• They have covered more than 60,000 miles of roads so far this winter.
• A typical gritting lorry run covers around 35 miles.
• Roadside weather stations are used to help plan gritting runs.
• Although it’s called grit, what is used on roads is salt.
• Highways England grits motorways and trunk roads in Surrey – for example the M25 and A3.
• There are more than 1,700 grit bins across Surrey.
• More than 50 farmers equipped with ploughs are ready to clear routes.
• Surrey 4×4 Response is standing by to help support vulnerable people.