A West Northants gritter driver has been hailed as the ‘heartbeat’ of the community’s gritting team.
Driver Mark Hazle has served the community for 15 winters and last week received recognition for his dedication and commitment to the service.
Mr Hazle was named ECON South England’s Gritter Driver of the Year for his winter maintenance work, which he completes alongside his duties as an on‑call firefighter.
According to West Northamptonshire Council, Mr Hazle has helped manage some of the most difficult road incidents, as well as serving as a mentor for new gritter drivers, with colleagues referring to him as ‘the heartbeat of the West Northamptonshire gritting team’.
He said: ‘I love the job, and the camaraderie keeps you going through the freezing nights. It’s such an honour to receive this award, and I dedicate it to my colleagues at the Brixworth depot and the whole gritter driving community.’
Cllr Richard Butler, West Northamptonshire Council Cabinet Member for Highways, added: ‘Residents like Mark are the backbone of our local communities, not only working hard to keep his local roads safe during the freezing weather but also being on hand to help and keep others safe as an on-call firefighter.
‘I am delighted his dedication to public services in West Northamptonshire has been recognised with this national award and thank him for all his work over the past 15 years.’
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