Sandwell gritters out in force for first winter run as icy conditions set in
Sandwell gritters have been deployed on the region's roads for the first time this winter
Gritting trucks (Gritters) in Sandwell have shared that tonight (November 11) is the first time they’ve been out this winter 2026 to put grit onto local roads.
Locals have noticed the drop in temperature, for many a huge sign of this is the start of icy roads that usually start in November, to prevent ice from forming gritters (gritting trucks) are usually deployed on the roads.
Sandwell gritters cover around 270 miles across the region’s roads to keep drivers safe, they do this by adding grit (rock salt) to roads to prevent ice from forming.
The council have said that this is important to “keep Sandwell moving and our roads” safe.
Sandwell gritters are named: Ice One Cyrille, Dame Julie Salters, The Greatest Snow Van, Spread Zeppelin, Frozie Lawrence, Frosty the Snow Van, Melt-on John, Rule Gritannia and Ctrl+Salt+Delet.
In a social media post, Sandwell Council said: “Winter is here, and our gritting crew are ready! Our gritters are out tonight for the first gritting run of the winter season, helping to keep Sandwell moving and our roads safe.”
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.