Essex is prepared for winter and falling temperatures, said the county council.

The council said gritting stocks are back at full capacity with 14,000 tonnes of salt available and its fleet of 60 winter gritters will be ready throughout the season.

Also, 120 personnel will be on call over a 24-hour period.

Essex County Council is running a winter salt bag scheme for parish and town councils taking part to receive a tonne of salt in 20kg bags for use on roads in icy conditions.

Residents can also keep track of Essex gritters online, thanks to a new live tracking system. Each gritter has been fitted with a GPS tracker, which allows their movements to be tracked in real-time at www.essex.gov.uk/winter. It will make it easier for residents to know when gritters are out, and which roads have been salted.

County councillor Derrick Louis, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “Keeping our roads safe throughout winter is always one of our top priorities, and we have made sure that our gritting stocks are back at full capacity for the start of the season.

“We have extended our salt bag scheme, providing additional resources for more local communities. This year it will also be easy to find out when our gritters will be out near you thanks to our new online tracking system.”