Cornwall's renamed gritters ready for icy action

Cornwall's fleet of gritting lorries, complete with new names, has set off on the first salt-spreading mission of the year.

Last year, council managers asked the public for their Cornwall-inspired names for the lorries.

The top suggestions included RNAS Cold Nose, based on the Royal Navy base at Culdrose; Choughed to Grits, Salty McSaltash and Gritchard Trevithick.

With temperatures dropping, the gritters have headed out on Cornwall's 25 salting routes, which total about  870 miles (1,400 km).

Last year, the gritters, operated by contractor Cormac on behalf of Cornwall Council, treated more than 34,500 miles (55,500km) of Cornish roads in multiple dispatches.

About 15,000  tonnes of salt are stockpiled ready for use this winter.

With the oncoming winter season, crews have also been filling more than 700 grit bins, which are managed by town and parish councils, to salt footpaths and roads that do not form part of the Council’s salting network.

Cornwall’s main trunk roads - the A30 and the A38 - are the responsibility of National Highways.

Steve Bayley, Cormac’s highways network manager, said: “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. "

The Cornwall gritter fleet has 25 lorries (with three on standby), now all with names suggested by members of the public:

• Mevagritty
• Proper Job
• Gurt Licker the Gritter
• Choughed to Grits
• Demeltza
• Dreckly Me ‘Ansum
• RNAS Cold Nose
• The Gritterman’s Friends
• Sir Grit-A-Lot
• Shiverton Cross
• Spreadruth
• The Beast of Bodmin
• Gryttin Da!
• Salt Piran
• Salty Maid
• Salty McSaltash
• Daphne du Meltier
• Kernow Bys Grittin
• Jam First
• Wheal Gritty
• Humphreeze Davy
• Gritchard Trevithick
• Hayle Storm
• Crimp My Ride
• South Frosty

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