Gritters take to county’s roads again as temperatures fall

Gritters will be out in force over the county during the next few days as icy weather is forecast.
Gritter lorryGritter lorry
Gritter lorry

Over the Christmas period, the A41 linking the M25 with Aylesbury through Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring was gritted on several occasions to combat plummeting temperatures, including at 7pm on Christmas Day itself.

Further gritting is also scheduled for the road – a hotspot for crashes in poor weather – today and tomorrow with lowest temperatures of the season predicted for tonight at -6 degrees Celsius.

Road conditions were cited as a contributing factor for two crashes on the commuter-magnet road yesterday morning, though gritters had been used on the stretch from 5pm on Sunday evening.

Today is expected to be generally fine with spells of sunshine, though patches of freezing fog or low cloud may linger in a few places, before another cold night with rod surface temperatures below zero in most places.

A Herts County Council spokesman has confirmed that salt stocks remain healthy to deal with the temperature-drop and the authority will continue to schedule gritting runs over the next few days, based on the weather forecasts.

The spokesman added: “Gritting can never guarantee that a road surface will remain entirely ice free.

“Salt is the best material we have available to treat snow and ice, but drivers still need to be careful and should not drive as if weather conditions are normal.

“Leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front, steer and brake very gently and reduce your overall speed. Please also allow extra time for any journeys you make.”