Motorists in Sussex asked to make space for gritters after snow forecast later this week

In conditions like these National Highways, which manages 4,500 miles of A-Roads and Motorways can call on approximately 530 gritters nationwide to make roads safe.

"As our gritting teams go out to spread salt on the roads, our message is simple to all road users: ‘Please be patient and give us the time and space to do what we need to do to keep you safe,” severe weather resilience manager Darren Clark said

“If you are going to pass us, please do so courteously, pass us safely and legally, or even better, if you are able to stay back, you will actually help the salt on the road activate even more quickly by crushing and breaking it into the road surface which benefits everyone.

“It’s worth remembering too, we are not gritting all the time. Some of our fleet may come off at particular junctions or return to depots while other vehicles take over, lowering any inconvenience to motorists. We are once again totally committed to working around the clock on these seasonal operations to keep all road users safe and thank everyone in advance for their patience and understanding.

"Not all roads will need treating on any given day. Gritters may need to go out in some regions if road temperatures are expected to fall below +1 degrees C, and if there is a risk of ice forming, but not in other areas if conditions are not as cold. National Highways is committed to treating every road which needs to be treated - whenever it is needed.”

The appeal also comes after a recent Know the Zones campaign launched by National Highways to help road users understand the blind spots HGV drivers face from passing and overtaking vehicles.

survey conducted by National Highways revealed that, while nearly 75 per cent of drivers said they take extra care when passing a truck, 36 per cent said they did not know how many blind spots HGV had. The same percentage of people also admitted to feeling nervous while passing trucks.

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