Transport Scotland has set out its plans to cope with any extreme weather this winter, explaining that, as well as a fleet of emergency response vehicles, there will be more 230 gritters undertaking enhanced patrols of the trunk road network from over 40 depots across Scotland

Its gritter tracker is once again up and running, letting people see where our gritters have been carrying out treatments.

The annual winter service runs until 15 May. Main points this year include:

• Dedicated snow plans for the M8, M74, M77, M80 and AWPR
• Improved mitigation, detection and management of ice on the Queensferry Crossing
  There is more salt currently in stock than was used for the entirety of last winter (*over 412,000 tonnes)
• An enhanced customer engagement focus
• Dedicated Met Office, Police Scotland and SEPA presence in the control centre
  A new study to explore how forecasting can be improved using mobile sensor data on board spreaders

Speaking at the Traffic Scotland National Control Centre in South Queensferry, Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: “One of the biggest challenges we’ve had off the back of so many severe weather warnings in recent memory is guarding against complacency.

“Today gives us a chance to highlight all of the new innovation and preparation which is in place ahead of winter. But it’s also an opportunity to thank our winter heroes – our gritter drivers, bridge workers, rail staff, operating companies and everyone across the sector who works unsociable hours in often testing and dangerous conditions, to keep Scotland moving.

“We must take decisive action to prevent snow and ice endangering the safety of the public on our roads and the winter service is a critical part of that. However due to climate change we are now seeing serious flooding and severe winds throughout the year, so the challenge is 365 days a year, no just over winter. With the growing threat presented by climate change and much wetter weather, which can cause landslides and horrendous driving conditions, as well as impacting on our infrastructure and people’s daily lives, we will continue to focus on all types of severe weather that has the potential to cause disruption on the trunk road network and our transport system.”

(Picture – Fiona Hyslop, middle with Martin Thomson, National Operations Manager for Resilience at Transport Scotland, left, and Superintendent Vinnie Fisher, deputy head of Road Policing, courtesy Transport Scotland)