Sefton’s new Winter Hub has won the Winter Services category of the National Highways Awards.

Located in Netherton, the Winter Hub is Sefton Council Highways team’s ‘gritting HQ. It has the capacity to store 3,500 tonnes of salt – 2 ½ times that of the previous depot which is what’s needed to treat nearly 470kms of the Boroughs’ main road network.

Winter Service

Sefton Council commissioned the Winter Hub after its previous depot was deemed no longer adequate. The Council commissioned it through the Winter Service contractor and joint award winners, Graysons H&E Services and purchased the facility upon completion.

This winter, Sefton Council successfully operated its fleet of gritters from the new facility for the first time. In addition to the storage warehouse, the site also includes office accommodation, staff mess room, toilets, meeting and training rooms and office space.

Significant improvement

The Hub was entered in the Winter Service category of the National Highways Awards, which is for projects that show a significant improvement in winter services.

Making the award, the judges said that the Sefton Council and Graysons H&E Services scheme has provided the Borough with a new depot that meets the requirements of the latest guidance. They described it as ‘a good example to other authorities how the guidance can be achieved’.

Delighted

Cllr John Fairclough, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Locality Services, welcomed the news, saying: “We were pleased to have this new, purpose-built facility open and operational to keep the Borough’s roads safe over the winter and were absolutely delighted when it picked up this prestigious national award.

“The ‘Winter Hub’ is a fantastic investment for the Council that will allow us to deliver winter services effectively and efficiently both now and long into the future. And, despite its name, will provide us with an improved and cost-effective base for our operations all year round.”