As the nights draw in and temperatures begin to drop, our winter gritting service is now ready to roll.
Gritting teams and three hybrid gritters are on standby 24 hours a day from 1 November until the end of March 2026.
With road sensors monitoring temperatures across the city and access to the latest weather forecasting information, we can carefully plan the most appropriate routes to treat and how much grit to use.
We have around 300 tonnes of grit with more available on standby. Last year we used around 200 tonnes of grit for the entire winter period.
We treat around 156 miles of roads across Brighton & Hove, prioritising key routes, including bus routes and roads that lead to places like hospitals and the city centre.
Read more about winter road maintenance across the city.
Unfortunately, gritting can’t guarantee roads are free of ice and snow. It also relies on traffic helping to mix the grit into surface water to prevent it from freezing.
Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, said: “Our gritting service is really important for keeping the city moving during the colder months.
“We use the latest weather forecasting and temperature data to make sure gritters are sent out ahead of any cold snaps and dedicated crews ready at a moment’s notice to grit more than 150 miles of road.
“As we do each year, we’re always reviewing our winter maintenance plans to ensure we’re in the best position to react and deal with cold weather, that our gritting routes are robust and that grit bins are full.
“But it’s important that people take care on the roads and drive to the conditions so we all keep safe this winter.”
We have more than 1000km of pavement in the city and around 400 grit bins. We recently inspected them and topped up more than half.
They’ll also be refilled 2 or 3 times during the winter, depending on the conditions.
If your nearest grit bin needs refilling, please complete our online grit bin form. You can also e-mail highwayoperations@brighton-hove.gov.uk
In severe weather, we have contractors ready to help clear pavements of snow and grit essential routes such as near hospitals, schools and other medical facilities.
