True Grit on Moray roads
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BEAR Scotland says its team of gritters are geared up to tackle whatever snow and ice the Winter brings.
A total of 94 vehicles, 58,500 tonnes of salt and 180 members of staff are on hand to help keep the region's 2016km trunk road network as clear as possible.
The vehicles feature 37 of the largest spreaders in the UK.
These eight-wheelers include ‘Yes Sir Ice Can Boogie’, 'Plougher of Scotland', 'Blizzard of Oz' and 'Salt Disney' which can all carry over 15tons of salt at a time.
BEAR Scotland says it will focus on stopping ice forming by spreading pre-wetted salt on routes forecast to experience low temperatures.
Managing director Iain Murray said: "The North of Scotland particularly offers a huge winter challenge to our teams with locations such as the highest Scottish trunk road at A9 Drumochter, the infamous A82 Glencoe and the A96 Glens of Foudland.
"However our dedicated North teams remain as committed as ever to keeping Scotland’s key routes open and safe for motorists over the winter period.
"We will closely monitor conditions on a 24/7 basis and do as much as possible to reduce the impact adverse winter weather that we’re faced with.
"We’d like to remind members of the public to also play their part and ensure their vehicles are well maintained and pay close attention to local and national media and online weather information to help plan ahead."
The public can use Transport Scotland’s live online tracker HERE which displays the current location of gritters and also shows where they have previously passed.
