North Yorkshire Council is deploying compact tractors in Harrogate, Richmond and Scarborough this winter to help clear snow from town centres, footways and areas that are difficult to reach with larger vehicles.
The red mini tractors will normally be used by the council’s parks and countryside team for jobs such as trimming flowerbeds and hedges and transporting fencing supplies. However, they can be fitted with snow-clearing attachments to support winter maintenance teams during severe weather.
The council says the vehicles will provide a cost-effective way to strengthen its response to snow and ice, while making use of the tractors for other work throughout the year.
Although based in the three towns, the tractors will be deployed to the worst-affected parts of the county when snow hits, with a particular focus on footways and locations where access is restricted.
Existing winter maintenance fleet
The mini tractors will supplement the council’s existing winter maintenance resources, which include 70 gritters, several snowploughs and snowblowers, and more than 100 farming contractors.
Cllr Malcolm Taylor, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, said:
Keeping the county moving throughout the year is a key priority, and we are always looking at ways to strengthen our advanced winter maintenance fleet.
By investing in these new, versatile mini tractors, we are maximising their use throughout the year and enhancing our response to severe weather.
The vehicles will be used in town centre and other urban locations which are difficult to access by larger vehicles, alongside our existing fleet of gritters and equipment.
As the winter gets into full swing, we are reminding road users to take extra care when travelling and check weather conditions before setting off.
North Yorkshire Council says more than 2,700 miles of its road network are treated during the annual winter maintenance programme, with around 50,000 tonnes of salt held in storage.
There are also approximately 5,000 salt bins and heaps across the county. Advanced weather forecasting and road temperature monitoring help the council decide when and where to carry out treatments, with gritting crews on call 24 hours a day throughout the winter season.
Residents can view active gritters and priority gritting routes on the council’s winter maintenance webpage.