The county council says that gritting crews will be on call around the clock to fight the festive freeze which is expected to continue over Christmas – with the Stone depot at the heart of the operation.
Temperatures are predicted to plummet to -14 degrees during the holiday and the team is on high alert to keep motorists on the move and as safe as possible. A total of 120 drivers will be working in two shifts and will be out in force during the early hours of the morning and in the evening when the snow and ice descend.
They use 64 gritters, 45 snow ploughs and seven ice prediction weather stations to help in the battle to keep the roads as clear as they can in harsh weather conditions.
They will also be refilling more than 1,200 grit bins which can be used by residents across the county to treat highways and footpaths in their communities.
The Stone depot in Newcastle Road is at the heart of the county’s winter gritting plan, with most of the county’s gritters based there, as well as thousands of tonnes of salt.
Leader of Staffordshire County Council Philip Atkins said: “The gritting teams have been working incredibly hard to keep Staffordshire moving and as safe as possible and have done a sterling job in the most challenging conditions.
“Please keep safe over Christmas and the New Year by only making essential journeys. I would urge motorists and pedestrians to be careful when they are out and about as, despite the large percentage of the road network that we grit, it is just not possible to treat every road and even recently gritted roads can be hazardous in parts. Also look to see if your elderly neighbours need help to avoid unnecessary trips to the shops while this cold spell lasts.”
