Westminster Council readies new gritter fleet 01 February 2012

As freezing winter weather finally sets in, one London council says it is fully prepared, with the latest gritter technology to ensure that the area can support business as usual.

Westminster City Council has a new fleet of GPS-guided gritting trucks, capable of being controlled from a central command centre in order to efficiently spread 1,600 tonnes of salt stockpiled in three silos across the borough.

Each Dennis truck can carry up to eight tonnes of salt, while the GPS unit provides real-time information on where it is and what it is doing. Sensors also indicate whether or not the vehicles are actually spreading salt or just travelling.

Each also has satellite navigation, meaning that drivers can be instructed where to go and the exact route to take, which councillor Ed Argar says enables the greatest possible round efficiency – ensuring that salt is spread when and where it is most needed.

The cabinet member for city management says: "Although we have had a mild autumn, Westminster is never complacent when it comes to getting ready for winter weather. We have not relented in making sure that everything is in place to combat ice and snow."

Author
John Challen

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