Hertfordshire roads have enough gritters for winter says county council

Hertfordshire County Council has reassured the public that gritters will be out on its roads this winter - despite the continued shortage of HGV drivers.

The council said it is working with partners at Ringway to minimise any risk to services in Hertfordshire this winter.

Heightened by the pandemic and Brexit, the nationwide shortage of HGV drivers has already been blamed for the fuel shortage and short supply of food on shelves in supermarkets.

The Local Government Association warned that some authorities “may find that their gritting services are affected”.

But, Hertfordshire County Council says it currently has the 'necessary resource' for its winter service.

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council said: “We are fully aware of the issues currently facing a number of local authorities and are working closely with our partners at Ringway [the principal contractor for Hertfordshire County Council highways] to minimise any risk to our services in Hertfordshire.

“We are fortunate to have a team of drivers who have worked with us for a number of years and appreciate the key role that they play in supporting this critical winter service.

“We currently have the necessary resource for our winter service, but will be keeping the situation under review and take any further action as needed.”

HGV drivers can typically earn between £28,000 to £32,500 a year, but some supermarket delivery drivers are now being offered up to £70,000.