With temperatures due to be colder in the coming days, the council expects its winter action plan to swing into force including gritting for the first time this winter. Current forecasts suggest a colder spell of weather is due next week, with road temperatures currently looking likely to freeze.

If gritting is required, the gritters will be salting key roads across the county in accordance with the agreed priority routes as outlined on our website, to make them safer for motorists and to keep key transport routes running.

The council also provides salt bins for people to use to during cold and icy weather. The bins contain a mixture of salt and sand and are located in targeted areas known to be affected by icy conditions which the gritting routes don’t cover.

Salt bins are provided for residents to use on public roads and footways only and should not be used to clear private drives.

Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport explained: “Our gritters treat miles and miles of priority routes across the county, including all A and B roads but clearly, we cannot treat every road. These salt bins provide a handy way for residents to treat their local area if the weather conditions cause concern and so are hugely valued by many communities.”

Residents can request a salt bin for their local area and all requests will be considered. If the request is granted, the council will pay for the installation of a salt bin and will refill as needed throughout the winter while stocks allow. Where a request is not granted, communities have the option to pay for a bin to be installed and for the ongoing delivery of salt stocks.

Visit the council's website to request a salt bin.

Steven added: “We grit our priority routes when road surface temperature – which can be up to 5 degrees cooler than the air temperature - is predicted to drop below 0.5 degrees celsius.

Remember to still take extra care when driving as roads may still be icy; temperatures can drop after rain or the salt that has been spread can be blown away by wind or washed off by rain. Bear in mind too, that if temperatures drop below -8 C even gritted roads won’t be able to stop ice from forming.”

You can check which routes are gritted on the council’s website. And for updates when gritting is taking place, follow @buckshighways on Facebook or @bucks_highways on X.