A new fleet of 12 new gritting trucks have arrived on the Isle of Wight to help make sure that our main roads are kept safe during the winter months.  The vehicles part of a four-year contract between Isle of Wight Council and Ringway Group Ltd will be on 24-hour standby to grit the roads…

A fleet of new gritting trucks have arrived on the Isle of Wight to help make sure that our main roads are kept safe during the winter months.

The vehicles have arrived as part of a new four-year contract between Isle of Wight Council and Ringway Group Ltd. Twelve vehicles, which are more technologically advanced than the previous gritters, will be on 24-hour standby to grit the roads.

The gritters are equipped with a range of technologies including GPS satellite systems allowing the council to instantly see the location of a vehicle. They  feature alarm systems that activate should a vehicle stray off its designated route, or be travelling too fast, and they display the exact amount of salt being deposited.

They also feature a ‘boost button’, allowing salt to be spread over a greater distance, for example when a gritter passes an area that is prone to having large amounts of water run-off from fields.

Isle of Wight Council Head of Highways and Transport Peter Hayward said

“Maintaining safe roads during cold and icy weather is a top priority and I am really pleased that we are able to deploy the latest technology on the Island to help with this.

“The fleet of gritters will be on constant standby to be deployed along the Island’s main roads when freezing conditions are forecast and our remote temperature sensors report falling temperatures. Ringway Group understand the importance of local knowledge and have employed six drivers who are all based on the Isle of Wight and know the routes very well.

“The technology on the new vehicles also helps us monitor the performance of the gritters, the amount of salt they’re putting down, and how the drivers are doing. All of this will help us to quickly spot any problem areas, get them sorted out and keep the Island moving this winter”

Ringway has extensive experience delivering winter maintenance and other highway services nationally and Ian Thorpe, Ringway Divisional Manager said

“We are delighted to be working on the Isle of Wight and are committed to providing an efficient and effective winter maintenance service to the Island’s road users”.

Isle of Wight Council regularly receives detailed weather forecasts for the Isle of Wight and also receives data on surface temperatures from sensors built into certain roads.