Cumberland Council is once again inviting residents, communities and schools to put their creativity to the test and help name five new gritters joining the county's winter fleet.
Following the success of previous naming competitions, five additional gritters are set to hit Cumberland's roads this winter, and the council is asking the public to come up with their best, funniest and most imaginative names.
The new vehicles will join a fleet already featuring community favourites including Mike Zeller Ice Dispeller, La'al Salty, Ctrl SAlt Delete and Gritter Spitter, all chosen by local residents in previous competitions.
While the competition is a fun way to get people involved, it also highlights the vital role Cumberland's gritter drivers and highways teams play in keeping people moving during winter weather. Working around the clock when temperatures drop, the teams help keep key routes safe and passable across the county.
Residents are encouraged to submit their suggestions by Friday 13 November via Cumberland Council's social media channels or by emailing [email protected].
Schools are once again being encouraged to take part, with the winning schools receiving a special visit from one of the newly named gritters.
Cumberland's winter service maintains more than 1,500km of roads, treating around 42% of the county's highway network during severe weather. The service is supported by approximately 16,000 tonnes of rock salt stored across the county and more than 3,600 grit bins available to communities.
Councillor Denise Rollo, Cumberland Council's Executive Member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places, said:
"Our gritter naming competitions have become a popular part of winter in Cumberland and always bring out some fantastic suggestions from residents.
"While it's a bit of fun, it's also a great opportunity to recognise the hard work of our highways teams and gritter drivers, who work tirelessly throughout the winter to help keep our communities connected and our roads safe.
"We're looking forward to seeing what creative names people come up with for our five newest gritters, so get your thinking caps on and send us your suggestions."
Winning names will be selected by the council before the new gritters officially join the fleet later this winter.
For more information about winter preparedness, gritting routes and advice on staying safe during severe weather, visit the council's Weather Ready webpages.
