EAST Sussex Highways have taken delivery of 18 newly named gritters to join its fleet.

The new vehicles are all 4×4 and have the latest safety technology. They also hold more salt and distribute it in a more efficient way – this means that they can operate for longer and more safely during cold weather conditions.

The new gritters have all been named by local schools with new monikers including Alicia Freeze, Gritter Garbo and Ctrl+salt+delete.

Roger Williams, head of highways at East Sussex County Council, said: “The addition of these 18 new gritters to our fleet means we are even more prepared for winter and our service will be more efficient.

“The new features and technology in these gritters is extremely important because our drivers are often out on the roads through the night and they are the first people there when roads become icy.”