Gritters

A spokesman for Hampshire County Council said: “One of our gritters slid off the road near Hambledon while spreading salt on one of our higher priority routes.

Lancashire County Council said the gritters were out in force on Tuesday night.

Motorists can track gritters here.

Gritters from Derby City Council and the county council went out throughout Monday night, but a number of road closures were in place as a result of the adverse weather conditions.

Jan McEwan, a Highland councillor for Wick and East Caithness, said: "I would like to express my appreciation for the men driving the gritters in this atrocious weather, which I don’t think anyone expected to last so long.

National Highways Regional Operations Manager Dee Murray said the agency had a “massive operation” out overnight using gritters on the roads.

So for the first time this winter we have dispatched our gritters to grit roads and pathways.

The A62 is being treated by gritters.

Gritters will be out and about on some trunk roads in the north-west of Scotland.

Icy stretches across are likely to bring some travel disruption for commuters and gritters will be out this evening.

Motorists are being urged to drive carefully, with gritters out in force.

Gritters have been out in force across the region, however, a number of roads are still quite treacherous.

Some 2,000 gritters are digging into a record-equalling three million tonne salt mountain.

Tonight, Aberdeenshire Council has confirmed all 32 gritters will be out and about focusing on priority routes.

A familiar sight on the roads during the snow earlier this year, Hampshire County Council has said it is preparing it's fleet of lorries and gritters because of the high road surface temperatures.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “Many motorists could be forgiven for thinking the sight of gritters on the road in the summer is a mirage caused by the heat.

Well, they might have gone one better in Scotland, where not only do they have puntastic names for all their gritters – they also allow you to watch them as they go about their work – in real time.

With snow expected to fall across the north-east tonight, councils have announced that gritters will take to the streets to combat the icy conditions.