Gritting teams on standby as frosty conditions are forecast for Nottinghamshire over Christmas

Forecasters are predicting figures approaching freezing on Christmas Eve in some areas of the UK, with a further dip as night falls on Christmas Day.

And although the situation could change, Nottinghamshire County Council’s gritting teams are leaving nothing to chance and will be closely monitoring the weather.

Gritters have been on full-time standby since 1st November and will remain that way until the end of March next year – or later if necessary.

The council currently has 18,680 tonnes of salt stored in its four grit barns and is in a strong position to deal with the worst winter conditions.

Each time the council grits it spreads an area some 1,050,000msq in size – that is equivalent to 100 large football pitches.

And by the time it is salted all the county’s A and B roads and major bus routes – one third of the county’s entire road network – the crews have covered the equivalent of driving from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

Motorists are also being advised to check and prepare their vehicles for any journeys they may be making over the festive period – especially if the weather does take a turn for the worst.