Trafford's Conservative Council has today launched a new, online information service showing residents where gritters are operating in their area in real time via a live online service.

It is believed that residents in the Conservative Borough are the first in the country to be able to get such detailed, immediate information about which roads are being gritted during this Winter.

This is the latest data to be opened up to residents online as the Trafford continues to make information about its services and how they perform more transparent for taxpayers.

Visitors to http://www.trafford.gov.uk/gritting can now view a map which shows where all the Council's gritters are located, with an update every 30 seconds. This allows residents to find gritters working in their area and follow their path so they can see exactly where it has been and at what time. Residents can also look back to see what happened the night before.

Deputy Leader of the Council, Alex Williams said: "Residents want to know that their roads are being maintained properly by the Council and this new service allows people to have up-to-the-minute information about how our gritters are operating across Trafford.

"This is part of our ongoing pledge to be the most transparent Metropolitan Council in the country, allowing our taxpayers free, quick and easy access to data showing how services are performing."


Executive Councillor Alan Mitchell said: "Trafford Council's operational staff volunteer to provide the 24/7 standby service which works to keep roads in the Borough as safe as possible for residents and commuters during the cold season.

"We're responsible for maintaining over 400 miles of road in the Borough, and during periods of snow and ice, priority is given to main roads and bus routes, which account for over 250 miles of those roads."