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Proactive winter gritting: why now is the time to prepare for a safe, stress-free season

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Articles > Proactive winter gritting: why now is the time to prepare for a safe, stress-free season

While the warmth of summer still lingers, it’s never too early to start thinking about the chilly months ahead. As the specialist winter gritting team at Nurture Group, we know that the key to a hassle-free winter lies in proactive planning. By preparing for the upcoming gritting season now, you can avoid the pitfalls of a reactive approach, ensuring safety and smooth operations even when the snow and ice arrive.

Why proactive planning is essential

Waiting for the first frost can leave your business exposed to accidents, claims, and operational disruption.

Proactive planning ensures:

  • Timely treatment of surfaces before ice forms.
  • Minimised disruption to staff, visitors, and deliveries.
  • Comprehensive coverage across all site areas, including car parks, walkways, footpaths, and cycleways.

Creating a winter maintanance plan in advance allows you to identify high-risk areas, schedule treatments based on forecasted weather, and maintain safe access at all times.

Renew your winter gritting contract early

Renewing your winter gritting contract with Nurture Group now ensures your sites are prioritised as temperatures begin to drop. Our directly employed, fully trained operatives deliver reliable, proactive, and reactive gritting across thousands of UK sites every year.

We don’t just spread salt, we provide a complete winter risk-management service. From weather forecasting and activation alerts to real-time reporting via our Ice Master portal, we help you maintain safety, continuity, and compliance all season long.

Meeting your legal duty of care

Under UK health and safety law, employers and site managers have a duty of care to maintain safe access routes. Following amendments to the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, that duty extends to footpaths and cycleways, which are now considered essential transport corridors in many areas.

Failing to treat these routes can lead to increased liability, potential claims, and reputational damage. By including pedestrian and cycle routes in your gritting plan, you protect your people — and your organisation — from avoidable risks.

Tackling the challenges of active travel routes

Did you know that regulations now extend beyond just roadways when it comes to winter maintenance?

The amendment to the Railways and Transport Safety Act in 2003 highlighted the duty of authorities to ensure safe passage on footpaths and cycleways. As these routes gain popularity and are used year-round, treating them becomes a legal requirement. This means that proactive planning should include not only roadways but also footpaths and cycle paths to ensure the safety of all users.

Cycleways and footpaths require a specialist approach to winter maintenance. Unlike main roads, these surfaces retain colder temperatures due to lower traffic flow and surrounding vegetation.

Our teams use precision-applied liquid de-icers, such as sodium chloride brine, for effective treatment in these areas while carefully managing application levels to avoid corrosion on nearby metal structures or surfaces. This balance of performance and protection keeps all routes safe, compliant, and accessible.

While avoiding claims is crucial, there are several other advantages to having a structured winter gritting programme:

  • Cost control – planned gritting is far cheaper than emergency callouts or the financial fallout from claims.
  • Accessibility – safer surfaces support inclusivity for those with mobility challenges, ensuring compliance with accessibility requirements.
  • Asset protection – consistent gritting reduces freeze-thaw damage to car parks, pathways, and drainage infrastructure.
  • Peace of mind – forecast-led activation, real-time updates, and 24/7 support take uncertainty out of winter safety planning.
A complete, proactive approach to winter maintenance

Effective winter planning means taking a comprehensive view of your site – from car parks and access roads to walkways, loading bays, and cycle routes. By assessing your layout and risk zones now, you can secure the right gritting coverage and activation criteria before temperatures drop.

At Nurture Group, we combine technology, scale, and local expertise to deliver consistent, high-quality service – keeping people safe, protecting property, and maintaining business continuity through even the harshest winter conditions.

Start planning now – stay ahead of winter

Don’t wait for the first frost. Secure your winter maintenance plan today and stay one step ahead of snow, ice, and liability risks.

Get in touch with our Winter Gritting team to discuss your sites, select the right service model, and ensure a safe, compliant, and stress-free winter season.