With the first of the cold weather creeping in, councils around the country begun gritting the road networks. Below are reports from around the UK:
Devon County Council
Only specific areas and higher ground have been treated over the last few weeks because of milder temperatures, but all areas are expected to be below freezing over the coming weekend. 3,000 grit bins across the county have been re-filled and 220 Parish Councils and Town Councils have signed up to the Snow Warden scheme with volunteers ready to help clearing snow and ice and treating paths and pavements with rock salt.
Worcester County Council
Gritting vehicles were sent out on the 5th December, gritting around 800 miles of roads around the county.
Wirral Council
The council states it will be gritting more roads this year and providing more grit bins throughout the Borough. There are 10 full size gritters and 2 mini gritters available for Highways Winter Service Operations and in addition to this, 286 grit bins are installed throughout the Borough.
Brighton and Hove Council
The council has bought new gritting wagons that can carry 50% more rock salt. Along with the new wagons, the council has trained a team of 13 drivers so the vehicles can run day and night. The council has also provided 400 grit bins around the city.
Cambridgeshire County Council
100 volunteer Snow Wardens have been taken on to grit roads and paths in rural communities in preparation for the cold snap. Officials hope that utilising volunteers from Parish Councils to treat areas with rock salt will prevent the unpleasant scenes from last winter when people regularly fell on paths covered with snow and ice.
