National Highways prepares a massive operation to keep motorways and major A-roads safe this winter, urging local drivers to do their bit too.

As temperatures drop and winter conditions take hold, National Highways has detailed its extensive preparations to keep major routes across England safe and open, including vital roads used by Bedrock area commuters.

Their fleet of 530 gritters is stocked up and ready to hit the roads. Last winter alone, these gritters covered over 1.5 million miles—the equivalent of driving around the Earth more than 60 times.

Salt Stocks and Constant Monitoring.

Teams are ready to spread more than 250,000 tonnes of salt this winter across England’s motorways and A-roads.

Darren Clark, Severe Weather Resilience Adviser at National Highways, stressed the importance of these efforts:

“Our work through the colder months is about more than just keeping traffic moving – it’s about keeping the country connected. Our network of 4,500 miles of motorways and A roads are the backbone of the nation’s supply chains… ensuring life-saving medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, fuel, chemicals, and food reach every corner of England, even in severe weather.”
Over 120 salt depots are fully stocked, supported by more than 200 weather monitoring stations that feed real-time data into control centres 24/7. This sophisticated system helped teams put over 900 road treatment plans into action last winter.

Driver Preparation Is Vital:

Alongside the work of the gritters, National Highways is urging local drivers to make sure their own vehicles are prepared for the challenging conditions.

Between December 2024 and February 2025, there were 67,768 recorded breakdowns, highlighting the need for preparation.

Colin Stevenson, Road Safety Information Lead at National Highways, reminded everyone to play their part:

“Our dedicated teams will be out day and night to keep our roads clear and reliable – and we’re reminding every driver to do their bit by following our T.R.I.P. advice and be prepared for winter, not caught out by it.”
National Highways is promoting its annual T.R.I.P. campaign, advising drivers on four simple steps:

Top-up: Fuel, oil, and screen wash
Rest: Plan regular stops every two hours
Inspect: Check tyre pressure and tread
Prepare: Have a plan for severe weather conditions