Lincolnshire gritters by the numbers

Lincolnshire gritters began their winter callout duties back in October, when temperatures began to fall in the county.

Gritters drive along all A and B roads in the county to ensure you can drive to and from your home safely, but do you know how much each trip costs, and how much salt they use?

With the help of Lincolnshire County Council, The Lincolnite complied a rundown of facts about Lincolnshire gritters and their late 2013 runs so far.

1,869

The number of miles gritters cover in Lincolnshire in a single night – that’s the equivalent of driving from Lincoln to Moscow.

1°C

The temperature when gritters will salt the roads. Any lower than -15°C though, and grit becomes ineffective.

1

The amount of breakdowns of gritting vehicles per night the council deals with on average. This is due to the weight of the load, and the salt causing erosion to the mechanics over time. Additionally, the lorries used for gritting are actually standard Danish or Dutch seven tonne machines when first built. These modified to be gritters by the company the council purchase them from.

9

The number of weather stations the gritting team use to monitor the conditions. Each can have slightly different characteristics. Stations include Trent valley; Lincoln ridge; the Wolds; east coast; Grantham; Fenland, and Wisbech.

10

The average life span in years of a council grittier.

11

The number of blessings of the gritters that have taken place over the years. The Bishop of Lincoln blesses the work and safety of the teams who grit Lincolnshire’s roads, as they prepare for winter — a time that can be treacherous.

13

The amount of gritting runs completed so far this winter.

43

The County Council deploys 43 gritters to salt the roads, with 14 new vehicles added earlier this year.

111

The number of drivers for the Lincolnshire gritting vehicles.

200-400

The average amount of salt it takes to grit the roads in tonnes on a typical run. This varies slightly depending on weather conditions.

280

The amount of blue whales it would take to match the amount of grit used during gritting runs in winter 2012-2013. The council used a record 42,000 tonnes last year.

2,533

The amount of salt in tonnes used so far this winter on runs.

£30,000

The cost of gritting the county roads — for just one night.

35,000

The tonnes of salt remaining in the County Council’s depots across Lincolnshire.

37,145

The number of miles the gritters have done to salt the roads since November 1. That’s about one trip around the planet.

£4 million

The typical cost of running the service each winter by the council.