Gritters that are powered by electricity will join North Yorkshire’s winter fleet in a bid to save money and reduce harmful carbon emissions.
As part of a trial for this coming winter season, NY Highways has added two gritters each with an electric body to its fleet, supplied by Bucher Municipal. The vehicles have an anticipated fuel saving of up to 20 per cent compared to standard, diesel-powered gritters.
The gritting bodies which deploy the salt will run on an electric battery that can charge in just over 30 minutes. The battery will be able to do multiple runs before needing to be recharged.
The task to keep the 5,753-mile network of roads across North Yorkshire, which is England’s largest county, safe and open during the winter months is a mammoth undertaking each year.
North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways and transportation, Cllr Keane Duncan, said:
The electric-bodied gritters are a first for the council’s winter service delivery.
Innovation is high on our agenda and it is another way we are showing our commitment to achieving net carbon neutrality by 2030.
The two gritters don’t have any hydraulics which mean there’s less chance of mechanical failure. This increased reliability is vital when we are against the clock trying to deliver the best winter service that we can.
NY Highways, which is the county’s highways maintenance company overseen by North Yorkshire County Council, is looking for HGV drivers to join the authority’s highways team based at various depots across North Yorkshire.
Ross Bullerwell, managing director of NY Highways, said:
Winter maintenance is one of the most important services that we provide to the communities of North Yorkshire and its network of almost 5,800 miles of road.
We provide a 24 hour a day, seven days a week service running multiple routes. We require a skilled workforce to ensure a smooth delivery so there is minimal disruption to routes throughout the winter period.
It’s great to see North Yorkshire County Council leading the way in reducing harmful carbon emissions with their new electric-powered gritters. I hope other councils will follow suit and switch to greener, more sustainable methods of keeping our roads safe during winter.