As we all prepare for the cold weather, the council has taken delivery of 17 new vehicles to join its fleet of winter maintenance vehicles that will treat 52% of our road network when dangerous conditions are forecast.
To mark the arrival of the new vehicles, primary school children throughout Argyll and Bute have been invited to think up a name for one gritter in each of the four local administrative areas.
The winners will see their chosen name on a plate on the side of the vehicle. The competition closed on 5 November.
There are 32 frontline vehicles in total ready for action, and two spare in case of breakdown. We have further six vehicles, as well as tractors and ‘V’ ploughs, that can be deployed if necessary.
Keeping our roads clear takes careful planning by a team of people who analyse local weather forecast data so we know by the end of each day what we need to do to make sure the roads are treated appropriately the following morning.
Councillor Robin Currie, Policy Lead for Housing, Roads and Infrastructure Services, said: “I very much look forward to seeing what names our imaginative young people suggest for our new gritters.
“Our winter vehicles play an important part in our day-to-day lives so it’s important we recognise this.
“We have taken delivery of brand new, state-of-the art vehicles that can control the quantity, width and mix of salt and grit spread on the road. We’ve selected different sizes and types of vehicles needed for the variety of roads in Argyll and Bute and with different capacities to make sure they do the job for which they’re required.
“I’d also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our roads workers. They are up, in the early hours when it’s cold and icy, to start making 750 miles of local roads safe for the rest of us.”
For more information on the council’s adverse weather plans go to: http://bit.ly/2R9WkLC