November 28, 2013 7.18 pm This story is over 130 months old

Lincolnshire gritters blessed by the Bishop of Lincoln

County tradition: The Bishop of Lincoln blessed the work of the teams who grit Lincolnshire’s roads, as they prepare for winter.

The Bishop of Lincoln, Right Reverend Christopher Lowson, has blessed the work of the teams who grit Lincolnshire’s roads, as they prepare for winter.

He met the gritting team and highways officials at the Sturton by Stow Lincolnshire Highways depot on November 28 and offered a blessing for their work and for their safety.

Right Reverend Christopher Lowson said: “We recognise that in Lincolnshire we get some hard winters and the roads are dangerous when they are icy.

“This is a time when we particularly ask God to support and strengthen these people who are protecting us by gritting the roads and going out in a dangerous context to keep the road safe for other people, so we’re asking for God to bless that.

“The numbers of road traffic accidents in Lincolnshire are going down gradually and there are probably lots of reasons for that; cars are much stronger and better protect passengers, not least the excellent work done by the people we are meeting today.

“But we don’t know the impact of praying to God and asking him to give his blessing to the people who protect us on the road.

“The fact that media are covering this means that people are reminded that it’s not just about the weather and gritting the roads, but also how we drive on the roads; that we should drive carefully and take extra safety precautions when the roads are dangerous.”

The Bishop of Lincoln with the Lincolnshire Highways team at the Sturton by Stow depot.

The Bishop of Lincoln with the Lincolnshire Highways team at the Sturton by Stow depot.

Richard Fenwick, Highways Maintenance Engineer at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This is something that we’ve been doing for a few years now and it’s an act of good will and a chance to raise the profile of what we are doing around this time of the year.

“A lot of the drivers are out in pretty bad conditions and they have a difficult job to do, so it’s a kind of comfort for them, and for us to engage with the people of Lincolnshire.”

Gritting salt mix stock at the Sturton by Stow Highways depot, which covers the north Lincoln area as well.

Gritting salt mix stock at the Sturton by Stow Highways depot, which covers the north Lincoln area as well.