A first for the region as a new electric vehicle gritter makes its debut in Hertfordshire

A brand new Electric Vehicle Gritter made its debut in Hertfordshire during the first gritting run of the season on Friday (November 10).

In a pilot, the first of its kind in the south-east, the Electric Vehicle Gritter made its way from its depot in South Mimms for the first time, providing a cleaner, greener and more sustainable way to keep Hertfordshire’s roads safe as temperatures plunge.

A smaller cycleway gritting tractor, which was trialled last winter and helps cyclists keep travelling actively over the winter period was also on the run alongside a 57 strong fleet of our usual gritters.

The fleet will be on standby ready to keep the county moving across the winter.

County council highways member Phil Bibby said: “We’re really excited to be trialling this new Electric Gritting Vehicle. It’s really versatile as it can be used year-round. It comes with three different bodies – a winter spreader body, an end tipper for highway maintenance works and a caged body for use in refuse collection and fly tip removal. We’ve already used it over the summer to help with some of these tasks, but we’re looking forward to testing it for the wintry weather that’s forecast to head to the UK over the next few weeks.”

For further information on how to be prepared for wintry weather and on the work of Hertfordshire County Council, visit the council’s winter advice and information page.