CORNWALL Council have put the call out to residents of the Duchy to name some of the county’s big yellow salt spreading superheroes.  

Recognised by their trademark yellow uniform and trail of ice vanquishing salt, the council have announced that it’s time to give something back to our gritters - and what better way than to give them a name they can wear with pride next winter?  

Richard Williams-Pears, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport, said: “Cornwall’s gritters have completed almost 750 runs this season, covering more than 27,000 miles already. We think it’s better when they have a good name behind them and so are calling on our residents to help us with some Cornish-themed suggestions. Family friendly, of course!  

“There are your Gritney Spears, Spreadie Mercuries and, who can forget Gritty McGritface, but we want our gritters to reflect Cornwall’s distinctiveness. You can draw inspiration from the heroes, places, legends and festivals that are unique to our home.” 

Steve Bayley, Cornwall Highways Network Manager, said: “With the top priority being safety on our main roads, the teams have actively reviewed weather forecasts, analysed specialist data to determine the salt spreading actions and treated thousands of miles to keep Cornwall moving. But the next best activity? The competition to name the gritters is on! We're eagerly waiting to discover the suggestions – may the best Cornish gritter names win.”  

More information about gritters and where to send name suggestions can be found here: letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/name-that-gritter  

Residents without internet access can call 0300 1234 100 to give their suggestions. We’ll be accepting names until 11.59pm on Thursday, February 22.