Ocado is to fit its delivery van fleet with special winter tyres for the remainder of the season to tackle the adverse weather conditions.

The online grocer is to fit winter tyres with improved grip and stability in snow or ice conditions, and also give higher levels of grip on cold and damp road surfaces. Winter tyres are common practice in many European countries.

Ocado said it hopes winter tyres will improve the safety for its drivers and road users in general. It also said it will improve its ability to make deliveries safely in the snow and ice. It has over 630 delivery vans and more than 1,550 drivers. It delivers on average 15,000 orders a day.

Tim Steiner, Ocado chief executive said: “We have been very pleased with our ability to deal with the extremely heavy snowfall over the past few weeks.  Having fitted winter tyres to our delivery vans we hope to be able to go places and do things others cannot.  Our drivers have made heroic efforts to help those in need due to the snow and we are proud of the spirit displayed by our staff in keeping disruptions to a minimum and providing the best service possible in these tough conditions. 

“Winter tyres are used in many other European countries at this time of year as they allow vehicles to travel in difficult winter conditions – rather than waiting for the roads to be gritted or the sun to come out we thought it better to be proactive for benefit of our staff and customers.”

Ocado said winter tyres are particularly suitable for use at lower operating temperatures, such as those recently encountered in the UK.