Kent’s roads now have a new winter hero with a prehistoric twist — ‘Grittersaurus Rex’ has officially been crowned the winner of Kent County Council’s (KCC) ‘Name a Gritter’ competition, capturing the imagination of residents across the county.
The fun and light-hearted contest, run in partnership with kmfm, aimed to raise awareness of the vital work gritting crews do each winter to keep the county’s roads safe and passable. Hundreds of creative entries were submitted, but after nearly 400 public votes in the final round, it was the dinosaur-inspired name that roared ahead to victory.
Grittersaurus Rex, a proud new addition to KCC’s 60-strong gritting fleet, edged out other witty contenders such as CTRL-SALT-DELETE, Claudia Sprinkleman, and Orlando Blooming-cold.
Celebrating Winter Road Safety
The winning name was submitted by Katie Charlier from Dover, who will now see her creative moniker emblazoned across one of the county’s iconic yellow gritters.
Ben Pearce, host of kmfm’s Getting You Home, said:
“kmfm is proud to celebrate the winter heroes who keep our roads safe. Thousands of our listeners got involved in naming a Kent gritter, and the winning name ‘Grittersaurus Rex’ has been a highlight of the year already. We can’t wait to see it in action!”
A Season of Challenges
Kent’s gritting teams have had a busy season, beginning their winter service on October 18, 2024, and continuing through to April 18, 2025. Crews have been deployed 34 times so far, using more than 7,700 tonnes of salt, with additional deliveries ensuring full preparedness for late-season cold snaps.
This winter has proven especially tough, with four named storms — Ashley, Bert, Conall, and Darragh — causing major disruptions. KCC’s Highways team responded to over 1,000 out-of-hours enquiries, including incidents involving fallen trees, flooding, and other weather-related emergencies.
Tribute to Gritting Crews
Neil Baker, KCC Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, praised the efforts of the teams:
“We are incredibly proud of the dedication and hard work of our winter service teams who have faced numerous challenges this season. Their efforts have ensured that our roads remain safe and accessible despite severe weather conditions.
As the weather warms up, crews now switch focus to road maintenance. I hope they receive the same appreciation for all their year-round work keeping Kent moving.”
With a new gritter name etched in public memory and a successful season nearly complete, Grittersaurus Rex stands as a playful but important reminder of the hard work behind the scenes — rain, snow, or shine.
