Somerset Council and winter service partner Kier Transportation Ltd are working together to keep traffic on the move this winter with a fleet of 23 gritters ready to head out when freezing temperatures or snow are forecast.
Gritting involves spreading treated rock salt on roads to help prevent ice and snow build-up. This is important during cold months as it helps make roads safer and reduces weather-related disruptions.
It’s also vital to be aware that ice can still form on gritted roads and road users should always drive according to the conditions.
It’s not possible to treat every road in Somerset. A precautionary network is in place to make sure key routes are treated such as major roads, access to emergency facilities, and connections between major communities.
More information, including a map of the routes, is available on the Council’s Gritting page.
Last winter saw the teams going out 1,679 times, covering more than 117,000 miles of Somerset’s roads.
Teams from the Council’s highways maintenance and Kier worked hard throughout the cold weather to treat the network and help prevent the formation ice.
More than 6,000 tonnes of salt were used to help keep the network running, with crews heading out during both day and night. The coldest road surface temperature was logged at -5.3°C on 3 January 2025.
Preparation of the Council’s depots and filling its salt barns took place throughout the summer, so the team is ready when the temperatures drop. The winter road treatment team use weather stations across Somerset and receive special daily forecasts. Gritting usually takes place when road surface temperatures are predicted to drop below 1°C and frost or ice is expected to form on the road.
The Council’s winter team will also be topping up gritting bins in communities across Somerset, and farm contractors have been enlisted to help plough roads in the event of snow.
Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services, said:
Our crews and contractor did a great job last winter, covering thousands of miles and helping to keep Somerset as safe as possible. They’re the ones who go out whatever the weather, so we all owe them heartfelt thanks.
As winter approaches we would ask people to please plan ahead and make sure they drive according to conditions to stay safe.
Ice can still form on roads that have been gritted and extra care needs to be taken in wintry weather. Please be patient on hazardous roads and do not try to overtake gritters while they are treating roads, they’re doing their job to help keep you and other road users safe.
Rain can wash salt away and in very low temperatures gritting may not be enough to prevent freezing – so drivers are always advised to take extra caution in winter.
I would also like to thank Somerset’s farmers who are hugely helpful in supporting the Council’s winter services, by taking on snow ploughing duties when conditions become challenging.
If you’re heading out during winter weather, as well as driving according to the conditions you should also make sure your car is winter ready. Find out more by visiting the Council’s Road Safety Adverse weather conditions page.
Daily gritting updates will be posted via @TravelSomerset on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook throughout the winter.
When do the gritters come out?
The Council undertakes gritting when the road surface temperatures are forecasted to fall below 1°C and there is an expectation of ice or snow. Precautionary gritting occurs before ice forms, which usually means teams are out in the evening or early morning.
In the case of snow, pre-established plans and work alongside emergency services and partners help to clear the roads as quickly as possible. The Council’s gritters can be fitted with snowploughs, and it also has agreements with farmers and snowplough operators to remove snow. Priority is given to the primary network, then secondary and minor networks are cleared as resources permit.
Community resilience
Somerset Council is working with parish councils to fill roadside grit bins on request and is continuing to run a community-led snow warden scheme.
Name a road gritter
This winter, the Council is working with Kier, to help make roads safer with 2 new vehicles as part of its 23-gritter fleet. Somerset school students are invited to take part in the creative competition to name the new road gritters.
