Georgia gets to grips with being council's first female gritter driver

The first ever female gritter driver has been welcomed to North Lincolnshire Council this winter.
Georgia Connal, aged 22, is one of three new younger drivers who have joined the Winter Service. She is also North Lincolnshire Council's first ever female gritter driver.Georgia Connal, aged 22, is one of three new younger drivers who have joined the Winter Service. She is also North Lincolnshire Council's first ever female gritter driver.
Georgia Connal, aged 22, is one of three new younger drivers who have joined the Winter Service. She is also North Lincolnshire Council's first ever female gritter driver.

Georgia Connal, aged 22, is one of three new younger drivers who have joined the Winter Service.

Having started with the council around a year ago on a work experience placement, Georgia was taken on as a Community Operative and passed her HGV licence just in time to start with the crew for this winter season at the end of October.

Georgia, of Keadby, said she loved driving the vehciles.

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“I love knowing that you’re making the roads safe for everyone else. You quickly get used to the way it drives and how it spreads the grit on the roads.”

So far this winter season, the council’s fleet of ten gritters has been out on the roads over 50 times, spreading over 3,000 tonnes of salt and clocking up over 19,000 miles of treated roads.

Being on call can mean late nights or early starts for Georgia and the team as they are asked to head out to treat the roads when the mercury plummets.

Georgia said: “I don’t mind the times to be honest. When you’re on call it becomes a way of life and you just live your life around it, knowing you might have to be up in the middle of the night.

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“So far on my latest run I hit the road at midnight. My route can take between three and four hours depending on the traffic and if there are any roadworks or closures, so that was a late finish.”

You can find out more about which routes are gritted when the weather turns by visiting our website at www.northlincs.gov.uk/winterservice.