Transport Scotland has said more gritters than ever on the network this winter.

Its fleet will now include 230 gritters operating from more than 40 depots around the trunk road network, as well as incident response vehicles

Other developments include sensors being installed on the Queensferry Crossing as part of a number of measures to improve the detection and management of ice accretion. Also, winter service on-road testing facility has been further developed, with weather stations and sensors across the trunk road network.

Salt barns across the country now hold more salt than was used during the entire winter of 2019-2020, while Transport Scotland said it has refined ‘route-specific snow plans’ for the M8, M74, M77 and M80 with the help of operating companies and Police Scotland.

Mr Matheson said: “Our teams always look to learn lessons from previous winters and have once again worked hard throughout the year to ensure we are well prepared for when the worst of the weather arrives.

“This ranges from the use of new technology, like ice accretion sensors and motorway access units, to trialling new treatments and adding more gritters to our fleet. Transport Scotland will continue to work closely with key partners like Police Scotland and the Met Office throughout the winter to ensure we respond quickly and effectively to weather events on the trunk road network.”

“We can’t always predict the weather but we can put plans in place to help keep Scotland moving when the winter conditions move in.”

Transport Scotland said it carried out its annual snow desk exercises with partner agencies in late October to test winter service operations over a period of severe weather within an ongoing Covid-19 environment.