Birmingham City Council has pledged to deploy its fleet of gritting vehicles overnight as the city continues to grapple with the aftermath of Storm Goretti. The severe weather has blanketed Birmingham in snow, creating 'extremely difficult' conditions and causing significant travel disruption.
Council's Overnight Gritting Pledge
In a public message issued on January 10, 2026, the council confirmed that its 'hard-working gritters' would be back on the streets. The operation is scheduled to treat the city's network of priority roads and footpaths throughout the night and into the early hours of Saturday, January 11.
On social media, Birmingham City Council stated: "As the cold weather continues, our hard-working gritters will be going out again tonight to treat the city’s priority roads, as well as priority footpaths from 4am tomorrow morning." The authority emphasised that its teams treat more than 700 miles of priority routes, which accounts for nearly half of the total road length within the city's boundaries.
Widespread Disruption from Rare Snowfall
The disruption caused by Storm Goretti has been substantial. The rare and significant snowfall led to numerous problems across Birmingham on Thursday, January 9. A number of flights from Birmingham Airport were delayed, and a significant amount of schools were forced to close for the day, impacting countless families.
Many residents found their travel plans thrown into chaos as roads became treacherous. Areas like Kings Heath were pictured under a layer of snow, illustrating the scale of the weather event.
Public Urged to Take Extreme Care
While the council's gritters will focus on main routes, officials have issued a stern warning about the state of untreated roads. The council's statement added: "Conditions remain extremely difficult, especially across untreated side and residential roads. We urge people to take care when travelling if possible."
This advisory highlights the lingering danger for drivers and pedestrians on smaller streets that are not part of the primary gritting schedule. Residents are being encouraged to consider whether their journeys are absolutely necessary and to exercise high levels of caution if they must venture out.
