Somerset’s new gritters named by school children

Bucher Municipal has delivered two new winter spreaders to Somerset Council, helping strengthen the county’s winter maintenance fleet ahead of the colder months.

The vehicles have already made a name for themselves, quite literally, after local schoolchildren were invited to help name them. The winning entries, Gritney Spears and Basil Salty, have brought a smile to the community while helping to spark wider conversations about winter road safety.

By involving schools and young people, the initiative highlights the vital role winter service vehicles play in keeping roads safe, accessible and moving during periods of ice and snow. It also helps make often unseen fleet operations more visible and relatable to the communities they protect.

Gritney Spears and Basil Salty will join Somerset’s existing spreader, Spready Mercury (above), forming a trio that will be deployed across the county to treat priority routes during cold weather. The vehicles will play a key role in reducing collision risk, supporting essential travel and maintaining access for emergency services, businesses and residents.

Winter maintenance fleets operate under challenging conditions, often overnight and in severe weather. Ensuring they are reliable, effective and ready to respond is critical for councils preparing for increasingly unpredictable winter patterns.

Seeing winter equipment recognised and celebrated at a community level not only raises awareness of road safety, but also reinforces the importance of the people, planning and investment behind essential local services.

As temperatures drop, Gritney, Basil and the rest of Somerset’s winter fleet will be quietly doing what matters most, helping to keep the county’s roads safer for everyone.