They are guaranteeing...

They are guaranteeing not to run out of the icy road treatment, having stockpiled 500,000 tonnes of it across the UK. And that isn"t the only seasonal preparation being made by the Highways Agency. It has revealed a fleet of 500 gritters and snowploughs are on standby, ready to work round the clock if necessary to clear roads of ice and snow.

The agency has also teamed up with the Met Office to get quicker expert advice on how the weather will affect major routes. Meteorologists will be based at the Highways Agency"s National Traffic Control Centre in the West Midlands all winter. HA officers are urging motorists to "be prepared" for the cold snap. "Warm clothes, boots, food and drink, an ice scraper and de-icer, a torch, battery, jump leads and even a spade should all be carried," said a spokesman. And he added that it takes 10 times longer to stop on icy roads than dry ones. Visit the www.highways.gov.uk website for further advice.