Winter gritting being carried out in Shropshire tonight as temperatures forecast to plummet

When ice or snow is predicted, pre-salting is carried out over priority roads, referred to by Shropshire Council as the defined network. This is around 28 per cent of the total road network in Shropshire.

A spokesman for Shropshire Council said: "Well, it's going to be cold tonight, and our gritters will be out treating roads across the county from 6pm.

"Thank you, and a big high five, to all our gritter drivers!"

Roads gritted include all A and B roads, localised high-risk sites and important access routes, major town centre shopping areas, heavily used footways and cycle routes - during periods of prolonged sub-zero temperatures.

Shropshire Council and its highways contractor Kier, has 25 gritters plus five reserve vehicles – along with nine footway ploughs, and nine snow blowers – ready to treat 25 gritting routes totalling 2,353km (1,462 miles).

Over the summer, work was carried out to ensure that vehicles and drivers are ready for next winter. Gritters have been serviced and maintained, and more than 22,000 tonnes of rock salt are in stock across the council’s highways depots.

Shropshire Council also maintains 850 local salt bins during the winter, and people can use salt from their local salt bins to treat pavements and roads.

National Highways looks after the M54 while gritting of roads in Telford & Wrekin is the responsibility of the borough council.

Find out if your road is gritted in winter or if there is a salt bin nearby by visiting here: https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/roads-and-highways/highways-maintenance/winter-maintenance/where-we-grit/