New gritter names wanted as Amey North East fleet ready for action in this winter
Winter Service Launch 2023-24
NEW GRITTER NAMES SOUGHT AS AMEY FLEET READY FOR ACTION IN NORTH EAST SCOTLAND THIS WINTER
Amey has launched their 2023/24 Winter Service Plan for the north east network with 40 new gritters ready to keep the trunk roads safe and clear.
The new 32-tonne, eight-wheeled vehicles in their distinctive bright orange livery - some of the largest in the UK - will become a regular sight on the north east trunk road network this winter.
To mark the arrival of the new fleet the public are being offered the chance to submit inventive and fun names for the gritter fleet and get it emblazoned on the side of one.
The public competition is being hosted on Amey’s behalf by Northsound 1 and Tay FM and runs until Wednesday 8th November. Listeners will then have a chance to vote for their favourite from a shortlist of names.
WINTER SERVICE PLAN 2023/24
The 2023/24 winter service plan, which Amey will operate on behalf of Transport Scotland, will run across north east Scotland until May 15th 2024.
The winter service fleet will be on standby 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week to respond and cover 593km of trunk roads and 151km of footpaths.
Amey’s dedicated winter maintenance teams will monitor weather forecasts and road surface temperatures to understand when treatments are required to keep the north east Scotland trunk road network moving over the coming months.
In addition to 35,000 tonnes of salt, Amey will have 50,000 litres of potassium acetate and 50,000 litres of magnesium chloride in stock for teams to deliver alternative treatments on roads and paths during the lowest temperatures.
The new 9,000 tonne capacity salt barn at Amey’s Kinross depot and 5,000 tonne salt barn at the Nairn depot will also add increased resilience in tackling adverse weather conditions across the network.
The winter service fleet features 40 Econ gritters and 40 snowploughs, as well as 6 new footpath gritters, 4 fastracs and 4 snow blowers.
Amey’s Severe Weather Manager Stuart Green said: “We have highly experienced teams who use the latest weather forecast technology to monitor conditions and respond 24 hours a day throughout the winter period.
“Our gritter drivers work unsociable hours in bad weather and face all kinds of challenges on the roads, but they do a tremendous job helping to keep Scotland’s trunk road network moving. We’re all looking forward to see what inventive names the public come up with to name our new fleet.
“I’d also urge motorists to play their part when the worst of the conditions move in. It is important that commuters think ahead and be prepared for any harsh weather.
“Listen to weather and traffic forecasts, adapt your driving to the conditions and look out for every driver’s welfare while out on the roads.”
Our gritters will appear live on the Traffic Scotland Gritter Tracker.
WINTER ALERTS SERVICE
To support the travelling public, a free Winter Road Alerts service is available, providing real-time updates on weather-related incidents on the network. An email address is all that is required to sign up for this service.
Our full NMC NE Winter Plan can be found on the Transport Scotland website.
