WATCH: Gritter spins in icy conditions

A driver’s dashcam footage has captured the moment a council gritter fell foul of treacherous icy conditions.

The incident took place in the North Mainland on Monday night when a gritter spun 180 degrees before coming to a stop on the verge.

The footage has been shared almost 300 times on Facebook with many commenters calling on the council to spread grit on the roads.

Other users, however, noted that rock salt only works to a certain temperature below zero.

North Isles councillor Ryan Thomson, meanwhile, paid tribute to the gritter drivers and others who must use the roads regardless of the conditions.

He said: “As the temperature again falls below freezing tonight, I want to pay tribute again to our superb gritter drivers and staff.

“We often hear that folk wait for the gritter to go out before we use our roads, so credit is due for those driving the gritters who go over all the untreated roads in often treacherous conditions, and many staff have to drive on these untreated roads to get to their work before the gritter can go out.”

Mr Thomson added: “The gritter drivers work tirelessly throughout the day to make sure our roads are safe for us to travel on. They’re out and about while many of us are still in our beds, getting home late only to start the process early again the next day.

“They are essential to both the SIC, and our communities and do a fantastic, thankless job, however I would like to thank them for their efforts and hard work during this cold-snap, and throughout the winter months.

“Tribute also to all those who must go out regardless of the road conditions. The social care workers, the emergency service workers, and all those staff who generally work night-shift.

“Salt lowers the freezing temperature of water, which helps stop frost forming on the roads. However, salt loses its effectiveness once the temperature falls below a certain temperature.”