National Highways gritters covered more than a million miles to keep the country moving safely over winter

National Highways’ fleet of 530 gritters covered more than one million miles across England’s motorways and major A-roads during the winter.

Crews have been out 16,500 times, spreading more than 91,000 tonnes of salt to help keep motorists moving safely and the country connected.Last winter is on track to have the second lowest amount of salt spread since the 2013/2014 winter season where 94,372 tonnes of salt was used.

This is due in part to the country experiencing higher rainfall and less snow than previous years.The busiest day for gritters was 4 January when, just days into the new year, crews ramped up activity in anticipation of plummeting temperatures. Gritters completed 724 runs covering 47,700 miles of England’s motorways and A-roads.

Throughout the rest of the week, crews carried out between 600 and 700 gritting runs daily. The week culminated in the arrival of Storm Goretti, a multi-hazard weather event that brought widespread snow, high winds and rain to various parts of the UK. Darren Clark, Severe Weather Resilience Adviser at National Highways, said: “January brought unprecedented weather conditions as the country was hit by Storm Goretti. While the severe weather posed challenges, we were able to keep most of the network open and running.“However, we are not complacent, each winter brings new lessons to be learned and ways to improve our operations.

For us, the warmer months are about one thing - preparing for the next winter.”The increased activity came ahead of a sharp drop in temperatures. In the early hours of 5 January, several isolated sites recorded the lowest figures of the season, with Tebay South on the M6 in Cumbria hitting -9.9C, Fiddlers Green on A628 Woodhead Pass in South Yorkshire that connects Sheffield and Manchester followed close behind with -9.4C and Old Spittal Farm on the A66 in County Durham dropping to -8.5C. A total of 48,953 tonnes of salt was spread in January, the highest of any month this winter season.

The first snowfall of the season occurred in November, when National Highways recorded the second- highest monthly total of 28,073 tonnes of salt spread.As National Highways’ winter season – which runs from October to the end of April – comes to an end gritter drivers will revert to their year-round roles helping to keep the country safely moving.

This could be repairing the road surface or barriers, working on infrastructure projects to maintain and upgrade the road network or general maintenance like drainage clearance and landscaping. From the end of April the winter fleet takes a well earnt break, but the work does not stop, we restock salt barns, update plans, and train staff in readiness.

Even with brighter days and milder temperatures, drivers can still be hit by heavy rain, flooding, late-season snow or freezing conditions. With conditions shifting quickly, making sure you and your vehicle are prepared in spring matters just as much as it does in winter.

The acronym T.R.I.P. promotes four simple steps to help drivers prepare whatever the season:Top-up: Fuel, oil, charge and screen washRest: Plan regular stops every two hours to avoid driver fatigueInspect: Check tyre pressures and treadPrepare: Check for weather conditions and consider packing a travel kit