A shot of Cllr Bert Bingham (Left) with five members of the gritting team standing in front of a gritter

Nottinghamshire was prepared for the first cold snap of the winter, as overnight temperatures dipped below zero this week, marking the start of the county’s seasonal response to icy roads, snow, and severe weather.

The first run was on Sunday evening (16 November) with the teams out every evening, bar one after that.

Preparations have been underway for months, but from November until April, Nottinghamshire County Council and its highways partner Via East Midlands have officially entered full-time winter standby mode, meaning gritting teams are on 24-hour alert. 

A dedicated crew of night shift drivers will operate throughout the winter months, supported by daytime and weekend cover drivers. Local farmers and wardens are also on standby to assist during extreme conditions.

We currently grit about 35% (approx. 1,881km) of the network. This compares with the national recommendation of 24%-38% treated network length.

The county’s 31-strong fleet of gritting lorries, enhanced by three new vehicles, is ready to treat 1,169 miles of Priority One routes—including all ‘A’ and ‘B’ roads, major bus routes, and strategic urban corridors. This represents roughly one-third of Nottinghamshire’s entire road network.

Last winter, the teams completed 84 gritting runs, covering around 140,000 miles equivalent to 13 trips from the UK to New Zealand!

This year, 17,500 tonnes of salt are stored across depots in Bilsthorpe, Markham Moor, Gamston, and Newark—enough to carry out four gritting runs daily for three weeks.

Each gritting operation treats an area of 1,050,000m², roughly the size of 100 football pitches. Salt is spread pre-emptively when forecasts predict road temperatures at or below zero, helping to prevent ice formation and reduce snow accumulation.

Beyond gritting, Via East Midlands continues its year-round programme of preventative maintenance. This includes drainage cleansing, tree inspections, and surface repairs to reduce the impact of winter storms, flooding, and fallen trees.

Every single one of Nottinghamshire's 141,000 gullies is inspected every two years and over 158,000 highway drains are maintained across the county. Our emergency response teams are ready to manage road closures, deliver sandbags, and respond to flooding. Maintenance crews will also be out repairing damage caused by winter conditions.
 
Councillor Bert Bingham, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, said: “I am confident that our gritting teams are well stocked and fully prepared for whatever the winter throws at us. It’s easy to forget the work of these teams as much or work happens in the early hours, ensuring roads are safe for morning travel. Their contribution is vital, though. Teams are always watching and using the most up to date forecasting information to help keep people safe and to keep the networks moving.

“I look forward to getting out there to experience the life of gritter driver, and to talk to the other winter operatives but ahead of this, I’d like to thank all our teams in advance for their dedication to keep Nottinghamshire moving and safe.”

You can see our gritting routes at the Notts Highways website and there is lots more information on severe weather at our website.