A total of 900 miles of Somerset's roads will be regularly gritted this winter as Somerset Council prepares to mobilise its fleet of 23 gritters.

The council and Kier Transportation Ltd., its new winter service partners, will mobilise the vehicles across the county whenever snow is forecast this winter, or whenever temperatures drop below 1°C.

The council has published an online map showing every major road which will be gritted using its vehicle fleet – two of which will shortly be christened by Somerset school pupils.

The local authority has also provided guidance for communities which lie off the gritted track, to prevent residents from being cut off from key services in the event of inclement weather.

Gritting involved spreading roads with treated rock salt, which lowers the freezing point of water and thereby prevents ice from forming at its normal temperature.

Precautionary gritting typically takes place in the early-morning or early-evening o- meaning you are likely to run into gritting vehicles on your commute or school run.

The council has been filling its salt barns throughout the summer to ensure there are sufficient supplies in the event of a long, cold winter, with grit bins being topped up across the county in the coming weeks.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for transport and waste services, said: "As the winter weather approaches we would ask people to please plan ahead and make sure you drive according to conditions in order to stay safe.

"Ice can still form on roads that have been gritted and extra care needs to be taken in winter weather.

"Please be patient on hazardous roads and do not try to overtake gritters while they are treating roads; they're doing their job to help keep you and other road users safe.

"Rain can wash salt away, and in very low temperatures gritting may not be enough to prevent freezing – so drivers are always advised to take extra caution in winter.

"I would also like to thank Somerset's farmers who are hugely helpful in supporting our winter services, by taking on snow-ploughing duties when conditions become challenging.

"Daily gritting updates will be posted on the Travel Somerset social media accounts throughout winter."

Around one-fifth of Somerset's road network is treated every winter, with the council prioritising major commuter routes along with main routes to schools, hospitals and other medical facilities, and interchanges with bus and rail services.

The gritted routes include (but are not limited to):

• The A30 between the Devon border and Yeovil (via Chard and Crewkerne)
• The A3088 Cartgate Link Road between Yeovil and the A303
• The A358 between Chard and Williton (via Ilminster and Taunton)
• The A359 between Yeovil and Frome (via Sparkford, Castle Cary and Bruton)
• The A361 between Taunton and Frome (via Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet)
• The A371 between Wincanton and Cheddar (via Shepton Mallet and Wells)
• The A38 between Wellington and Highbridge (via Taunton and Bridgwater)
• The A39 between Porlock and Wells (via Minehead, Bridgwater, Street and Glastonbury)

The M5, A303 and A36 will also be gritted throughout this winter, but this will be handled by National Highways rather than the council.

A council spokesman said: "We can't treat every road, as there aren't enough gritters, drivers and depot staff to make this cost-efficient.

"However, we are carrying on our work with parish councils to fill roadside grit bins on request and are continuing to run a community-led snow warden scheme."

Somerset schoolchildren were given the chance earlier in the year to name two new gritters which will enter service this winter.

Children had a choice between Elsa, Gritty Gritty Bang Bang, Snow Dragon, Snow Problem, Spready Mercury, and Wallace and Gritter – with the winning entries expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

To view the entire gritted road network up close, visit www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/gritting-map.