4x4 team hired to keep Southend safe

A group of 4x4 quad vehicles have been assembled in order to keep the streets of Southend free from ice and snow this Christmas, Wirralonline.com reported.

The move was made by the local council and cost approximately £55,000. Although the quads are well-equipped for wintry weather, the council may decide to go for regular 4x4 hire too, to provide a helping hand and rescue the quad drivers, should they become snowed in.

A spokesperson for the local council spoke to Echo-news.co.uk about the decision, stating: "The great advantage with these is they can kill two birds with one stone in terms of putting down grit and ploughing snow a the same time.

"They can go up on pavements, so it takes away the need of getting men to shovelling [sic] grit manually."

Furthermore, one of the assigned drivers of the quads, 53-year-old Dusty Millar, said the vehicles were quite fun to drive - albeit "a bit bumpy". He added: "I think using these around Southend to put the grit on the roads and help clear the snow is a really good idea."

The news may come as no surprise, as models like these and actual 4x4 cars were utilised by many councils across the UK in Christmas 2011. With a lack of grit and salt, the vehicles were required in order to save stranded motorists, or those all-important emergency service workers who found themselves unable to get to work over the festive period.