Local youngsters name new gritters

The three winners of the Name the Gritter competition have been revealed.

Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for environment and transport, had the difficult task of choosing the winners from more than 160 suggestions and went for:

• King Gritchard III;
• Gritternator; and 
• Sparkle.

The three new vehicles, complete with their new monikers, will now be on standby along with the rest of the gritting fleet should temperatures fall below freezing during the coming weeks.

Theo James from Ashmount School, Loughborough, Neveah-Rose Morgan from Red Hill Field Primary School, Narborough, and pupils from Birch Wood School, Melton Mowbray and Beacon Academy, Loughborough, were invited to the council’s highways depot in Mountsorrel to see the names brought to life on the vehicles.

Each winner received a certificate, a book voucher, and a chance to sit in the new gritters. The schools also received a book voucher.

We are delighted to confirm that our three new gritters will be called King Gritchard III, Gritternator and Sparkle and I want to thank all the pupils who took the time to send in their imaginative suggestions.

“Gritters are a vital part of keeping the county’s roads safe during the winter months. Our drivers will be on standby to spread salt whenever there is a likelihood of frost, ice or snow, so keep an eye out for them roaring into action.

Person:Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for environment and transport

At the start of winter, we had 18,500 tonnes of grit stockpiled ready to be used and whenever icy conditions are forecast, the gritters spread roughly 170 tonnes of the special salt and molasses mix each night, covering around 1,300 miles of highway.