UK Cold Weather: The peculiar names given to the UK’s fleet of ice gritters including Gritly Come Dancing

As temperatures plunge and snow hits the UK, ice gritters have come out to play to keep drivers and pedestrians safe on the roads. However, in strange British tradition, the nation’s fleet of gritters has been given a host of hilarious names like Carrie Bradthaw and Gritly Come Dancing by their local councils.

The UK has form for giving modes of transport bizarre names after a research ship was named Boaty McBoatface following a public vote in 2016. And research by Your Red Car recently revealed that almost a third of car owners name their vehicles too. The nation’s fleet of gritters, which is keeping drivers safe this week, is no exception.

Carrie Bradthaw is cruising through Strathaven, South Lanarkshire, Gritney Houston is spreading salt in East Riding of Yorkshire, and Usain Salt is out and about in Irvine, North Ayrshire. Other highlights include Sweet Child O’ Brine gritting roads in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, and Gritly Come Dancing in Crieff, Perth and Kinross.

The fun doesn’t end there either as you will find Grit Tok clearing roads in Fankerton, Falkirk and You’re A Blizzard, Harry making magic on the roads in Dumfries alongside Lord Coldemort. Scotland’s gritters in particular have risen to prominence in recent years due to their bizarre names and a website that allows you to track their movements. Other councils across the UK have followed suit and given their gritters unusual names too.

Voldergrit is on the roads in Chelmsford, Essex, Thaw Enforcement in East Riding of Yorkshire, with Itsy Bitsy Teeney Weeney Yellow Anti-Slip Machiney and David Plowie are out in Doncaster.

The Met Office has issued warnings across the UK as temperatures plummet across the UK. Temperatures are expected to plunge to -10C heading into next week as snow covers large parts of Britain.