Names needed for Shropshire Council's fleet of gritters
As the county prepares for winter Shropshire Council is getting its gritters ready, and wants names for the fleet.
Shropshire Council and Kier – partners in the Shropshire Highways alliance – have 25 gritters in their fleet, and a competition has been launched to give them names.
But, Councillor Steve Davenport, the council's member responsible for highways has said that any names will have to be approved by a panel – meaning 'Gritty McGritface' seems unlikely.
He said: "We’re not the first council to do this but every time another council names their gritters we’re asked: ‘so, will you be naming yours?’. Well the good news is, now we are, and now’s your chance to let us have your suggestions. All we ask is keep them clean and be original – it’s unlikely that ‘Gritty McGritface’ will get past our panel!
"Of course, this is also an opportunity to remind people about the important work that our gritters and gritter drivers do. Keeping Shropshire moving during a cold snap in winter is a full-time job and, when the cold weather hits there is a dedicated team of people and vehicles working, often unnoticed and often through the night and around the clock, to help keep the county’s roads open."
Suggestions can be made via the Shropshire Council twitter account '@shropcouncil', the Shropshire Highways twitter account '@shropshireroads', on Shropshire Council’s Facebook page, or by sending an e-mail to gritters@shropshire.gov.uk.
People of all ages can enter, and schools are being encouraged to invite their pupils to put forward their ideas and then submit entries on behalf of the school.
The closing date for entries is 5pm on Thursday, October 18.
All suggestions will be shortlisted by a ‘panel of experts’ and the best and most popular names will go through to a public vote on the Shropshire Council website in late October – at shropshire.gov.uk/gritters – when people will be able to choose their favourites.
The winning names will then be put on the gritting lorries in time for winter.
The 25 gritters, plus five reserve vehicles, are located at the council’s five highways depots across the county.
These are supported by nine footway ploughs, nine snow blowers and a team of contractors and farmers with snow clearing equipment.
