Around 900 miles of Somerset's road network will still be gritted over the winter months despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Somerset County Council, which is responsible for highway matters, has published a map showing all the routes it intends to treat with its fleet of 23 gritters as the nights begin to draw in.

Around one-fifth of the county's road network will be treated by the county council, on top of Highways England's work to ensure the M5 and A303 remain passable.

The council has also issued advice for motorists to prevent them from being stranded or requiring emergency help in the event of adverse weather conditions.

Here's everything you need to know about everything that is being done to keep Somerset moving this winter:

When are the roads gritted?

The council carries out gritting when road surface temperatures are predicted to drop below 1C and ice or snow is expected.

Precautionary gritting normally takes place before the formation of ice – meaning you're most likely to see gritting lorries out in the evening or early-morning.

If we get snow, the gritters can be equipped with snowploughs, and the council will use its links with local farmers and snowplough operators to ensure the primary road network remains open.

How does the council decide which roads are gritted?

The council decides which roads will be gritted based on a number of criteria – namely:

• Connectivity between major communities (e.g. A38 between Taunton and Bridgwater)
• Links to the strategic highway network (e.g. the M5, A303 and A36)
• Connectivity across local authority boundaries (e.g. the A30 into Devon)
• Links to transport interchanges (e.g. railway and bus stations)
• Access to emergency facilities (e.g. Musgrove Park Hospital)
• Links to critical infrastructure (e.g. petrol stations)
• Other locally important facilities (e.g. RNAS Yeovilton, major quarries)
• Links to major settlements (500+ properties)
• Links to urban schools (500+ pupils) and rural schools (300+ pupils)
• Continuity with other sections of the highway network

In areas where roads aren't gritted, the council is working with town and parish councils to ensure roadside grit bins are kept full, and a community-led "snow warden" scheme remains in effect.

Have any roads been cut back this year because of the pandemic?

The short answer is: no.

The council did scale back its gritting operations as part of a swathe of budget cuts agreed in September 2018, reducing its network coverage to 720 miles.

But these cuts were reversed for the winter of 2019/20 – and every road which was treated that winter will be treated this coming winter as well.

The main addition to the network this year are the new roads being constructed around the improved M5 Junction 25 in Taunton.

Which roads are being gritted?

Alongside the M5 and A303 (and A36 near Frome), most major A-roads through the county will be gritted through the winter.

These include:

• The A30 between the Devon border and the Dorset borders via Chard, Crewkerne, Yeovil, Milborne Port and Henstridge
• The A358 between the Devon border and Williton via Chard, Ilminster and Taunton
• The A359 between Yeovil and Frome via Sparkford and Bruton
• The A38 between the Devon border and Highbridge/Burnham-on-Sea via Wellington, Taunton and Bridgwater
• The A39 between Minehead and Chewton Mendip via Williton, Bridgwater, Street, Glastonbury and Wells
• The A3088 connecting the A303 to Yeovil

A smaller number of significant B-roads will also be treated, such as the B3165 near Crewkerne and the B3153 between Somerton and Castle Cary.

Here's a full list of the routes which were restored to the council's gritting map last year – and which remain in place for this winter:

Mendip

B3081 (southern end), Evercreech

B3110 Frome Road, Norton St Philip

B3136 Bath Road, Shepton Mallet

Brewery Lane, nr Stratton-on-the-Fosse

Burnt House Lane, Stoke St Michael

Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury

Clink Road, Frome

Highbury Street, Highbury

Knaptons Hill, Mells

Leigh Street, Leigh-upon-Mendip

Lock's Hill/ Rossiter's Hill/ Rossiter's Road, Frome

Long Cross Bottom/ Mendip Road, Stoke St Michael

Old Wells Road, Shepton Mallet

Quarry Road, Mells

Rodden Road, Frome

Selwood Road/ Welshmill Lane, Frome

Somers Hill, Leigh-upon-Mendip

St Peters Road, Shepton Mallet

Tansey, nr Cranmore

Whatcombe Road, Frome

Wookey Hole Road, Wells

Sedgemoor

B3135 Axbridge Road, Cheddar

B3135 Cliff Road, Cheddar

B3141 Causeway, Woolavington

B3141 Church Road, East Huntspill

B3339 Wembdon Rise, Bridgwater

Brook Street/ High Street/ Main Street, Cannington

Cheddar Road/ High Street/ Jubilee Road/ St Mary's Street, Axbridge

Cliff Street, Cheddar

College Way, Bridgwater

Durleigh Road, Bridgwater

Hamp Green Rise, Bridgwater

King's Drive, Bridgwater

Parkway, Bridgwater

Plummer's Lane, nr Priddy

Rodway, Cannington

Shipham Road, Cheddar

Somerset West and Taunton

A3087 Castle Street, Taunton

B3188, Monksilver

B3223 Room Hill Lane, Exford

Abbey Road, Washford

Amory Road, Dulverton

Ash Lane, Withypool

Calway Lane, Taunton

Cheddon Road, Taunton

Cothelstone Road/ Mount Street/ Station Road, Bishops Lydeard

Dene Road, Cotford St Luke

Eastwick Road, Taunton

Exeter Road, Rockwell Green

Five Bells/ North Road, Williton

Higher Park Lane, Wheddon Cross

Honiton Road, Churchinford

Kinsford Hill, Simonsbath

Langaller Lane/ Lipe Lane/ St Michael's Road, Creech St Michael

Lydon's Hill, Brompton Regis

Lyngford Lane, Taunton

Main Road, Bishopswood

Main Road, Buckland St Mary

Milton Hill, Monkton Heathfield

Monument Road, Wellington

Bossington Drive/ Nerrols Drive, Taunton

Porlock Road/ The Parks, Minehead

Ruishton Lane, Ruishton

Scott's Hill, Huish Champflower

Selworthy Road, Taunton

Solomon's Hollow/ Windmill Hill, North Curry

South Street, Wiveliscombe

Staplegrove Road, Taunton

Taunton Gateway Park and Ride and associated new roads, Taunton

South Somerset

A3066, North Perrott

B3081 (northern end), Bruton

B3151 Edmunds Hill, Ilchester

B3165 Sutton Hill, Long Sutton

B3168 (eastern end), Ilminster

Bayford Hill/High Street, Wincanton

Broad Hill, Hardington Mandeville

Broadway, Merriott

Broadway Road, Broadway

Combe Hill/Stooper's Hill, Combe St Nicholas

Combe Street Lane, Yeovil

Crimchard, Chard

Dancing Lane, Wincanton

Dorchester Road, nr Closworth

Glynswood, Chard

Halves Lane/ Primrose Road, North Coker

Harp Road, nr South Petherton

Hayes End/ Lightgate Road/ Silver Street, South Petherton

Head Street/ Yeovil Road, Tintinhull

Holloway, Lopen

Long Orchard Hill/ Townsend, Ilminster

Montacute Road, Montacute

New Road, Seavington St Michael

Preston Road, Yeovil

Sandhurst Road, nr North Coker

Springfield Road, Wincanton

St Michael's Avenue, Yeovil

Stiby Road, Yeovil

Stoke Road, Martock

Stourton Way, Yeovil

Thorne Lane, Yeovil

Tintinhull Road, Yeovil

West Hill, Wincanton

Western Avenue

What can I do to avoid getting stuck?

The council has issued the following advice for drivers driving in cold or icy weather in the coming months:

• Prepare your vehicle for winter – check your tyre pressures, fuel, oil, washer fluid levels
• Allow extra time for your journey
• Give gritters and snow ploughs plenty of room
• Carry a shovel and blankets in your vehicle