Making Yorkshire winter ready: new fleet of faster gritters and salt stores stockpiled

Some 37 high tech vehicles - with faster speeds and smart technologies - have joined National Highways' winter fleet under a £44m national investment.

It comes after two gritters powered by electricity were added to North Yorkshire County Council's fleet, with roadside weather stations on the most remote roads.

Gordon Thackeray, who heads up National Highways’ winter operations for the region, said the new gritters will help keep drivers on the move when severe weather hits.

He said: "These vehicles are environmentally friendly, have cutting-edge technological features and can be driven at a higher speed than older models.

“We now have a total of 58 vehicles ready to be deployed across Yorkshire and the North East and all of them will play their part in helping our autumn and winter operations team, including our drivers, to carry out their vital work over the next few months to treat the road surfaces whenever and wherever it is needed.”

The new gritters were road-tested last week in parts of Yorkshire, despite milder weather, amid warnings the region couldn't afford to be complacent ahead of any cold snap.

In addition, two new winter maintenance depots have opened, one just off the A64 at Malton and another off the A63 near Newport in the East Riding, covering routes such as Hull docks to Ferrybridge and Scarborough to York.