It’s been a very busy week for Monmouthshire’s gritting teams as the first storms of winter swept across the country, bringing heavy rain, sleet, hail, snow and sub-zero temperatures.
Working from depots in Llanfoist, Crick and Raglan, the council’s operatives started gritting and continued to treat the county’s roads over the past seven days. Over 800 tons of salt were used and gritting lorries travelled nearly 340 miles daily to keep Monmouthshire’s roads open for residents and businesses as well as to ensure public safety. The distance undertaken during the week by the lorries – 2,380 miles – is the equivalent of a trip from Usk to Bethlehem.
Monmouthshire County Council has recently invested in two new gritting vehicles with another four on their way. The council has ordered extra salt to increase stock levels and also has recently trained thirty members of staff who can be redeployed to assist in keeping the county’s roads clear during severe weather.
County Councillor Bryan Jones, cabinet member for county operations said: “Despite often very severe conditions our teams were well prepared and performed magnificently. It’s good to know that we can rely on their professional standards to keep the county moving and guarantee that we arrive home safely.”
