Gritters named after BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show stars, including Zoe Ball, are ready to keep Hertfordshire's motorists moving this winter.

Snowy Ball and Gritchie Anderson, two of Hertfordshire’s newest gritters, are in tip-top condition and set to get spreading grit on the county’s roads, when the first frost of the season is forecast.

The pair were officially welcomed into Hertfordshire’s fleet of gritters last December when Richie Anderson broadcast live from the Coreys Mill depot in Stevenage on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, surprising Snowy’s namesake Zoe Ball.

The crew at Coreys Mill had another surprise in store and revealed Gritchie Anderson, a smaller gritter used on cycleways, to Richie.

Both were put into action straight away and here’s a snapshot of what they got up to last winter:

  • Together they spread nearly 300 tonnes of salt.
  • They covered just under 2,000 miles.
  • They were out and about on 38 gritting runs across the winter season, which was below average as it was a relatively mild winter.
  • Snowy and Gritchie became very familiar with the roads of Stevenage and the surrounding towns and villages.
  • Over half of their gritting runs were in January.

Phil Bibby, executive member for highways and transport at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “Snowy and Gritchie have been great additions to our fleet of 70 gritters and we’re looking forward to them seeing them out again this winter season on the county’s road network.

“Our gritters and team members are on call around the clock to keep Hertfordshire moving when the temperatures drop and are on standby 24/7 from October 1 until April 30, treating over 1,500 miles of roads.”

To check HCC's gritting routes and find out how the council are keeping Hertfordshire moving, visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/weare

The county council sends out its gritters when road surface temperatures are forecast to be 0.5°c, or below. Each run takes around two-and-a-half hours to complete.

Herts starts the winter with around 12,000 tonnes of treated rock salt, held in four depots, and restock as needed throughout winter.

One hundred staff, including drivers and loaders, are mobilised for every gritting run.

Gritters went on 38 runs in the 2023/24 season, compared to 80 times in 2022/23. On average, gritters go on 56 runs a season.