Kent County Council is winter ready

Each year, KCC prepares for the winter service with a well-prepared strategy that includes 23,000 tonnes of salt stocked in depots across the county.

Crews have been practising the routes they will cover in the winter months, ensuring they are ready to treat more than 1,500 miles of road from frost and ice, allowing residents to travel safely in colder conditions.

The preparations also include the filling of over 3,000 salt bins around the county so that residents in areas that are not gritted can make their own neighbourhoods safe if a cold snap should occur.

This year’s season runs from 18 October 2024 to 18 April 2025, meaning residents can expect to see gritters out if temperatures are predicted to dip below zero degrees. However, Kent Highways is reminding residents that during extreme cold - when temperatures drop below -6°C - salt’s effectiveness decreases, so roads may still become icy, even if they’ve been gritted.

Last winter saw prolonged rainfall and isolated cold periods, with crews being called out 40 times, using 6,694 tonnes of salt.

In addition to gritting, Kent Highways efforts include improving road drainage to prevent hazardous conditions caused by standing water and flooding, which can be especially dangerous in winter.

KCC’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, Neil Baker, said: “Every winter we rely on our team of hard-working gritters to ensure our primary road network is treated when temperatures fall.

“Crews are fully prepared for the challenges winter will bring and are committed to ensuring Kent’s roads are safe and accessible for the travelling public.

“As ever, it is also important for people to ensure their vehicles are winter ready to drive in colder conditions.”

Visit www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/what-we-look-after/winter-service to find out how you can make sure you are ready for the winter weather ahead.

Follow us on Gritting Kent on Facebook or @GrittingKent on X for updates throughout the winter.