Cornwall’s Gritters Gear Up: Check the Interactive Map to Stay Ahead

As winter grips Cornwall, Cormac’s fleet of gritters, bearing quirky names like Mevagritty, RNAS Cold Nose, Proper Jobm Choughed to Grits, Salty McSaltash, and Gritchard Trevithick, are prepped to keep the county’s roads moving. This annual effort, which last year saw gritters cover an impressive 34,500 miles, is set to begin once again, ensuring safer travel during icy conditions.

A Mammoth Winter Task

Last winter, Cormac’s gritters spread approximately 5,500 tonnes of salt across Cornwall’s roads—equivalent to the weight of 11 jumbo jets. The salt, crucial for lowering the freezing point of water, helps reduce the risk of vehicles skidding and prevents collisions.

Cormac’s dedicated 78-person crew will be on standby 24/7 between November and March, relying on data from 22 road sensors and expert weather forecasts to decide when salting is necessary. The crews can respond to changing weather conditions and emergencies at a moment’s notice, often treating roads before freezing conditions set in.

Keeping Cornwall Moving Safely

Treating Cornwall’s 25 salting routes, which span 1,400 km (870 miles), takes about three hours per route. These routes cover heavily used A and B roads, carrying 80% of the county’s daily traffic. Priority routes also include access to hospitals, ambulance and fire stations, bus and railway hubs, and secondary schools. For main trunk roads like the A30 and A38, National Highways manages winter services.

Additionally, Cormac fills over 700 grit bins at the start of the season. Managed by town and parish councils, these bins support local communities by providing salt for footpaths and roads outside the Council’s salting network.

Staying Safe on Icy Roads

Connor Donnithorne, Cornwall Council’s cabinet portfolio holder for transport, highlighted the importance of caution, saying:
“Each winter our crews work hard travelling thousands of miles in often treacherous conditions to keep our busiest roads open.

“However, it isn’t possible to treat every road in Cornwall and so drivers should always take particular care at this time of year – don’t assume a road has been treated or is frost free. It can take up to ten times longer to stop in icy conditions.”

Steve Bayley, Cormac’s highways network manager, added:
“It’s important to understand that salting does not melt snow and ice instantaneously. The mixture needs time to take effect and sleet, hail and rain can also cause problems with the salt being washed off the road.

“You may not see the gritters, but if the weather forecast indicates sub-zero temperatures, the gritters will be out, usually in the early hours of the morning. Before you set out, check your vehicle, the road conditions and the weather forecast. If conditions are poor, and journeys are not essential, consider waiting until the weather gets better.”

Winter Service Interactive Map

Residents can use Cornwall Council’s Winter Service interactive map to stay informed about planned salting routes. The map provides daily updates on which roads are set to be treated in the coming hours or overnight. Features of the map include:

• Viewing all precautionary routes and planned treatments.
• Zooming in to see detailed route information.
• Searching the locations of Cornwall’s 250,000 postal addresses.
• Accessing Ordnance Survey’s most detailed maps.
• Printing high-quality maps.

Planned treatments are updated regularly but are subject to change based on updated forecasts or unexpected conditions.

Resources for Residents

Salt stocks of around 15,000 tonnes are already stored at seven depots across Cornwall, ready to be replenished as needed. Residents are encouraged to prepare for icy conditions by stocking up on grit for driveways, clearing snow and ice from paths, and checking on elderly neighbours.

For updates on road conditions and disruptions to services, Cornwall Council will provide information via X (formerly Twitter) at @CornwallCouncil.

Cornwall’s salt spreading superheroes are ready to take to the roads—will you be prepared?