On Friday, 19 September, 21 gritters – including Taylor Drift, Sleetwood Mac, and Snowball – will travel the county’s busiest roads in a dry run, allowing drivers to familiarise themselves with routes and check for obstacles such as overgrown vegetation.

The exercise also ensures vehicles, purchased last year, are fully serviced and ready to respond quickly to icy or snowy conditions.

Cllr Claire Dowling highlighted the importance of the run: ‘Although it may seem odd for our gritters to head out when there is no snow, the Operation Snowdrop dry run is a chance for the team to check everything is in place for the arrival of cold weather and is a key part of our winter service planning.’

The winter gritting season runs from 1 October to 30 April, with drivers on standby 24/7.

Around 10,000 tonnes of rock salt are stored across five depots, supplemented by 910 grit bins and tubes. Last year, 6,670 tonnes of salt were spread to keep East Sussex moving safely.

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