As summer gives way to autumn, our focus begins to shift towards one of the most important services we provide each year - keeping East Sussex moving safely during winter.
Before the first frost arrives, we carry out an annual exercise known as Operation Snowdrop. While it might seem unusual to see gritters out on the roads when temperatures are still mild, this vital dry run helps ensure we’re ready to respond when winter weather arrives.
This year, it was carried out on the evening of Monday 28 September.
What is Operation Snowdrop?
Operation Snowdrop is our annual pre-season test of the county's winter service. Every September, gritter drivers take to the roads to re-familiarise themselves with their routes, check their vehicles and identify any potential issues before the winter season begins.
The exercise covers the East Sussex gritting network, allowing drivers to:
- Refresh their knowledge of the routes they’ll be responsible for during winter
- Check vehicles, ploughs and spreading equipment are operating correctly
- Identify any obstructions such as overgrown hedges, low-hanging branches or poorly parked vehicles
- Ensure new and existing drivers are confident operating specialist winter service equipment
Although no salt is spread during the exercise, Operation Snowdrop plays a crucial role in ensuring our winter response can begin immediately, when needed.
Why do we do it?
Winter weather can arrive with little warning, and when road surface temperatures fall close to or below freezing, our teams need to be ready to respond around the clock.
Operation Snowdrop gives us the opportunity to spot and resolve problems before they can affect winter operations. A gritter can be up to three metres wide, so even small obstructions create difficulties on narrow roads. By identifying these issues early, we can contact residents where necessary and help ensure routes remain accessible throughout the winter season.
The exercise also helps test the resilience of our winter service arrangements, ensuring vehicles, equipment and staff are prepared well before the colder weather arrives.
How we prepare for winter
Operation Snowdrop is just one part of a much wider programme of winter preparation.
Each year before the winter season starts, our teams:
- Stock approximately 10,000 tonnes of rock salt across our highway depots, ready for use when conditions require treatment
- Inspect and refill more than 900 Highway-owned grit bins and tubes located across the county
- Carry out vehicle inspections and equipment testing on our fleet of gritters
- Review gritting routes and operational procedures
Once the winter service season begins on 1 October, teams remain on standby 24 hours a day, monitoring conditions and responding whenever forecasts indicate there is a risk of frost, ice or snow.
The story behind the name
Operation Snowdrop has a unique connection to East Sussex history.
The exercise is named in remembrance of the Lewes Avalanche, a tragic event that occurred on 27 December 1836 at Cliffe Hill in Lewes. Following a period of exceptionally severe winter weather, a large build-up of snow collapsed from the hillside, burying homes below. Eight people lost their lives and several properties were destroyed.
The name serves as a reminder of the impact severe winter weather can have on local communities and the importance of being prepared.
Ready for whatever winter brings
While most people associate gritters with icy mornings and snowfall, the work to keep East Sussex moving safely begins long before winter arrives.
Operation Snowdrop allows us to test our plans, familiarise drivers with their routes and make sure equipment is ready for action. Combined with extensive planning, salt stock replenishment, weather monitoring and route preparation, it helps ensure that when temperatures drop, our teams are ready to respond quickly and effectively.
So, if you spotted a gritter out on the road in September, you'll know it's not winter arriving early. It's Operation Snowdrop helping us prepare for the months ahead.
A blog by our winter resilience team.