Summertime – and council plans ahead to ensure the gritting is easy

The authority has been carrying out its annual review of its performance in the wake of one of the coldest winters in the last three decades.

A severe cold snap in 2008 also tested the council to its limits.

The seven new gritting vehicles are British-made, based on the Leyland Daff LF45 chassis. The new machines feature new technology which will help keep the city moving.

Last year the prolonged freezing weather led to a national shortage of salt.

The machines are adapted so they can take a new coated salt, which will be trialled on one of its seven main gritting routes, cutting down the overall amount of salt used.

Coun Mike Ross said: "This shows that we are planning for whatever future future weather conditions we have and we are not leaving it until the last minute."

Salt bins will also be placed on flyovers and bridges after the bitter weather made some impassable, including Park Street Bridge, which connects Anlaby Road with Spring Bank, two of the main routes in and out of the city centre.