New Dudley gritting fleet installed with ‘advanced technology’

Dudley Council has purchased nine ‘state-of-the-art’ gritters to enhance its winter maintenance operations.

Backed by a £1.5m investment, the new vehicles will have been acquired in preparation for the colder weather and will serve as replacements for the council’s current fleet of gritters.

The new additions consist of seven 26-tonne gritters, two 18-tonne gritters, and one smaller 7.2 tonne gritter. 

To help improve service efficiency, the vehicles are installed with ‘advanced winter maintenance technology’, the council confirmed in a statement last Friday.

This includes automated spreading systems, integrated route guidance, route optimisation, and GPS tracking.

The technology will also deliver real-time vehicle location, salt application data, and route performance information, which the local authority suggests will contribute to better fuel efficiency and more sustainable salt usage.

In addition to the new vehicles, the council also has over 3,000 tonnes of salt stored at its depot for when icy conditions strike.

Recommendations from a full review of the council’s winter maintenance services are being considered at present and are due to be rolled out before winter commences.

Comments

Cllr Simon Phipps, cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, said: ‘As the winter approaches, we are preparing with a new fleet of gritting vehicles, which will help our winter gritting crew to work more efficiently.

‘The team does an amazing job, working around the clock to monitor conditions and treat the highways during the coldest periods of the year. Winter services are planned and delivered based on forecasts and established gritting routes, covering more than 650 kilometres of the main road network.’

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Photo: © Dudley Council.