Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet has revealed that changes to its gritting policy are to be considered for upcoming winters.
In the cabinet meeting on September 16, it was confirmed that no alterations will be made to its treated routes this winter and no financial changes will be expected beyond the council’s ‘limited efficacy savings’.
However, the report highlights that Staffordshire is encountering milder winters overall, and therefore it sees ‘more frequent marginal weather conditions, making gritting decisions more complex and not necessarily reducing the number of treatment events required’.
In response to these conditions, the local authority has said that in the winter 2026/27 season, ‘additional weather sensors and enhanced forecasting software will enable consideration of a move from the current domain-based approach to route-based treatment decisions’.
As reasons for the move, the report lists increased confidence in operational decision-making, allowing for more targeted treatments and less unnecessary treatments and salt use. This will help to generate the efficiency savings outlined in the council’s 2026/27 budget, it says.
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