Six new Arocs gritters for Worcestershire CC

Worcestershire County Council has taken delivery of six new Mercedes-Benz Arocs 2630K gritters, with three more due before the end of the year.

The vehicles, which feature ClassicSpace M-cabs and the manufacturer’s MirrorCam digital mirrors, were supplied by dealer Rygor Commercials and bodied by winter equipment specialist Econ Engineering.

Their exteriors include 9m3 exteriors controlled by Spargo Touch in-cab systems and grit tanks mounted either side of the hopper.

They are also fitted with on-board weighing systems, roof-mounted Kelsa bars with four spotlights and Econ’s E-Ploughs, with ceramic edges, said to allow the vehicle to plough right up to the road surface. They are powered by 299hp 7.7-litre engines with 12-speed PowerShift 3 automated transmissions.

The council operates around 40 gritters, all of which of are Mercedes, and maintained at its main depot in Warndon by commercial vehicle maintenance specialist Ringway, while a member of Rygor’s Kidderminster team is also based at the site to manage parts stock.

“When ice or snow threaten, we need every piece of equipment to be available to keep the roads open and safe. We keep our gritters for 10 years, and experience has proved that over this life cycle Mercedes-Benz trucks do not let us down,” said the council’s fleet manager, Tim McNicholas.