Gritters working over holidays

DEVON County Council’s gritters will be working throughout Christmas and the New Year to try and keep Devon moving.

Council teams have today been clearing secondary routes, town centre and high street pavements, and replenishing grit bins wherever possible. Gritters will be out on Devon’s main salting routes again this evening and overnight, covering 1,700 miles.

Temperatures are still struggling to rise above freezing. The council’s priority is to treat main and secondary routes, but residential estate roads cannot be salted.

Anyone using salt from a council grit bin should only use it for public highways and sparingly, as only small amounts of salt are required to be effective.

The forecast is for cold and dry weather to continue tomorrow and on Christmas Day, with road surface temperatures remaining between -8C and -10C. Conditions may then deteriorate again with a risk of snow on Boxing Day, which could turn to sleet showers by Monday.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, the council’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “Our gritting teams are committed to doing their utmost to keep roads as safe and clear as possible.”

The council’s highway operations and control centre will be manned over the Christmas period.

Motorists are advised to overnight travel unless absolutely essential; never assume a road has been salted; allow additional time for their journey; drive with care and according to the conditions; and listen to local radio for weather updates.

For more information visit www.devon.gov.uk/winter.