‘Thaw’-some names given to our brand new gritters!

The Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has chosen the winning names for our two new gritters, after a competition was launched which saw hundreds of entries pour in.

Last month, we announced that two brand new orange gritters had arrived for the winter season and launched a competition to name them. It’s ‘snow’ joke, we received hundreds of ‘cool’ suggestions for Mayor, Cllr Brian Taylor to choose from, from ‘Saltin Timberlake’ to ‘I Want To Break Freeze’ and even ‘Darwen Tower Power’.

Councillor Brian Taylor, Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen borough council said:

I really enjoyed reading a fantastic range of suggestions for the names of our new gritters, which came from residents of all ages. A huge thank you to everyone for getting involved.

I’m a big Rovers fan and when I saw a take on two names that are considered legends for catapulting the Rovers to the world stage in the 90’s, it was definitely love at ‘frost’ sight!

The winning names are, Alan Clearer, and Grit Sutton!

The person who suggested both names is Ian Wilson from Longridge, who follows the council’s social media channels for news and travel information.  

Ian said:

When I saw the post on Facebook asking for names for the council’s gritters, I just couldn’t resist ‘freezing’ the moment. I’ve been a Rovers fan for over 30 years now and remember the club winning the Premier League like it was yesterday.

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of that title winning season, and with Sutton and Shearer being key to the Club’s performance, what better way than to name the gritters in their honour.

I can’t believe my names have been chosen! I came, ‘I thaw’, I conquered.

Alan Shearer, who played for Blackburn Rovers between 1992 to 1996, took the club to the top of the Premier League in 1994-95. In front of goal, he always had ice in his veins, however now, he’ll be clearing ice from the lanes!

Upon hearing about the new gritter that has been named after him, Alan said:

After opening Alan Shearer Way in Blackburn back in 2015, it’s an absolute honour to now have a gritter named after me. Well done Ian for coming up with such a fantastic name!

I wish ‘Alan Clearer’ all the best in his new role of keeping residents safe from snow and ice and hope that the winter is kind to everyone.

Alan Shearer was once quoted saying ‘I don’t know what I’d have become if I hadn’t been a footballer; I wrote down ‘dustbin man’ on a careers questionnaire at school till my dad made me change it to ‘joiner’. Maybe the next best thing to his initial career aspirations could come true to be a gritter man! You’re welcome on board any time Alan!

Lynsey Talbot, Head of Operations at Blackburn Rovers said:

Everyone connected to the football club is obviously extremely proud of what we achieved in 1994-95, and Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton played such a pivotal role in our success that season.

As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of that historic achievement this season, it is fantastic to see two new gritters arrive for the winter period who are named in honour of such an iconic duo.

We look forward to seeing the new gritters out and about around Ewood, keeping supporters safe on the roads over the festive period.

Alan Clearer and Grit Sutton have already been thrown into action to keep the roads of the borough free from snow and ice. They’re part of a team of six gritters in total, spreading grit from our barn which has 3,000 tonnes of salt to get to grips with whatever the weather brings.

With 165 miles of road to grit in the borough, there are a total of eight gritting routes, with each one taking around two hours to complete. All in a ‘sleigh’s’ work!

The gritters are sent out based on a winter decision maker, who reviews the forecasts received from Met desk three times a day. These are bespoke forecasts for Blackburn with Darwen and modelled from our gritting routes, which monitor everything from the road surface temperature to air temperature, to humidity and whether there’s an indication of rain.  

In addition to the daily forecasts, we also receive a 2 to 5 day forecast so we can plan ahead. And just in case, we have access to a forecaster who can be contacted by phone for specific advice during periods of uncertain weather conditions.

If you see one of our gritters in your rear-view mirror, please allow it to pass when it’s safe to do so. And remember to drive safely in treacherous weather, taking longer than usual to make your journey.

And don’t forget to give Alan Clearer and Grit Sutton a wave! The best things in life are ‘freeze’ after all.

To learn more about our winter gritting service and find out where the location of your nearest grit bin is, you can visit our website.