North Yorkshire’s gritting fleet covers thousands of miles every time the county’s roads need to be treated – and it does so with salt that is mined on our doorstep.

We used about 50,000 tonnes of salt last year, and all of it came from Boulby Mine, one mile west of Staithes on the east coast.

If all the vehicles needed to deliver that salt were lined up nose to tail, they would stretch from Northallerton to Ripon.

Nigel Smith, our Head of Highway Operations, said: “Last year, we carried out 10,200 treatments of the highway network in North Yorkshire, clocking up enough miles to travel around the world 22 times. That is only possible because of the really strong partnership and collaboration between the County Council, NY Highways and mine owner ICL.”

NY Highways was formed by the County Council last year to carry out highway maintenance, so this is the company’s first winter. Operations Manager Mike Francis said: “We have a strong team of drivers and a young fleet of 80 vehicles, including 18 new replacement gritters added ahead of this winter. This year’s gritting operation is under way and we’re well prepared for whatever the winter throws at us.

“To ensure we have ample salt stocks, we do a weekly stocktake of the salt levels in our barns, then place orders with ICL at Boulby to replenish the stock as required.”

Boulby Mine, which is a member of the Salt Assurance Scheme, dates back to 1968 and has been part of ICL Group since 2002.

ICL Boulby’s salt was deposited around 225 million years ago as ancient oceans drained, leaving the natural mineral substance behind. It can be found 1,100 metres down in a seam beneath the potash horizon. The mine is responsible for supplying around half the de-icing rock salt used on UK roads during winter, removing the need to import salt into the UK. 

Mark Thompson, Salt Sales Manager, said: “ICL is proud to be part of the local communities within which we live and work, and the wider communities spanning the length and breadth of the United Kingdom. Our key objective is to secure the safety and mobility of the public through the timely provision of salt. Our ability to perform is greatly influenced by the strength of the relationship we have with colleagues, customers and the wider supply chain.”

ICL Boulby has been mining rock salt for more than 40 years and has access to multi-million tonnes of mineral deposits. Generally, between 350,000 and 1,000,000 tonnes are mined each year, most being used for winter road maintenance.

The mining operation uses a boring machine, similar to the machines used in cutting road and rail tunnels. The tungsten-carbide tips of the rotating head bore into the substance, producing smaller lumps that are taken to a crushing and screening plant. The substance is treated with an anti-caking agent to stop the pieces coagulating. This means it can be held in local storage depots, ready for use on the roads whenever needed.

We spend between £6m and £10m each winter on gritting, depending on the severity of the weather. Our fleet is on call 24 hours a day and is complemented by more than 100 farm contractors, who can be called in to help to clear roads. In addition, there are about 8,000 grit heaps and bins around the county.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Access, said: “We place the highest priority on helping traffic to keep moving safely in winter. It’s vital to residents and businesses. We grit as required to keep our roads open. Knowing that we have a close relationship with a reliable supplier on our doorstep enables us to plan ahead and treat our roads with confidence.”

View information about when and where gritting takes place.

View our 23 weather stations with up-to-date images of key roadside conditions.

Get advice about driving in winter.

During gritting operations, updates are posted on the council’s Twitter account and Facebook page. Follow @northyorkscc.

© 2022 North Yorkshire County Council

The county council provides services across North Yorkshire including Harrogate, Ripon, Scarborough, Whitby, Northallerton, Thirsk, Selby, Tadcaster, Malton, Pickering, Richmond, Skipton and more.