Brand new high-tech gritters are serving the South Hams this winter courtesy of National Highways.
There are now 59 gritters in the fleet after two were introduced in 2021/22.
A spokesperson said: “Since 2018, we have been investing in a new fleet of gritters many of which are replacing our existing fleet.
“The new vehicles provide greater safety for our 1,600 gritter drivers due to improved technology and enhanced visibility.
“They can spread salt at speeds of up to 50mph - 10mph faster than earlier models.
“On the vast majority of our routes we use rock salt - we don’t use grit, as many people often think. Most of our rock salt is from UK sources such as mines in Winsford in Cheshire, or Boulby in Cleveland.”
“The majority of our vehicles can spread either dry salt or pre-wetted salt. Dry salt spreading involves spread rock salt direct from the spinner at the back of the gritter onto the road. This is particularly useful in damp or wet road conditions.
“Pre-wetted salt is a mixture of a brine solution sprayed onto the rock salt as it leaves the rear of the gritter. Brine is made in our depots where we mix water with a pure white marine salt. It’s stored in tanks and pumped into the side tanks on the gritters.
“We use pre-wetted salt on most occasions as this reduces the environmental impact. It’s also used when road surfaces are dryer but there is a risk of frost, ice or snow.’
The salt they user is no larger than 6mm in size which breaks down into smaller grains quite easily. Salt will start to work once it touches the road surface but the traffic can help break down the salt more quickly which helps it to dissolve.
All of our roads can be treated within two to three hours and National Highways works to make sure that the salt has been spread onto the road surface before the road surface drops below freezing to minimise the risk of frost or ice forming. The roads are also treated before any expected snowfall. Salt will not stop snow from settling on the road surface; but it does act as a debonding layer, making it easier to plough snow off the roads.
On bridges or sensitive structures, they spray potassium acetate liquid.