Torbay gritters 'ready for winter'

Grit bins are being provided for residents to treat roads

Gritters are on standby to treat more than 100 miles (160km) of priority routes across Torbay and keep traffic moving in winter, Torbay Council says.

The council said its six gritters would cover A and B roads, strategic bus routes, and emergency services' routes.

However, the authority added the gritters would only cover 112 miles (180km) out of 345 miles (555km).

Because of that, it is asking residents to keep roads clear and said 140 grit bins would be provided.

The council said it spent about £150,000 a year on maintaining roads in the winter.

Councillor Robert Excell, Executive Lead for Safer Communities and Transport at the Conservative-led authority, said gritters could cover priority routes across the bay, but the council "simply cannot treat the entire network of roads and footpaths".

He said: "In line with councils up and down the country, we have to assess which roads should be treated in bad weather, as well as consider what we can do elsewhere."

The council said it would also release any information about affected roads through its website, as well as through its Twitter and Facebook pages.