HIGHWAYS chiefs have stockpiled huge supplies of salt to treat roads this winter – and insist they are “well-prepared.”

More than 50,000 tonnes have been built up and North Yorkshire County Council says its salt barns are now full in readiness for winte while salt heaps and salt bins have been replenished.

The authority claims that one of its main priorities during extreme wearher is to keep major routes treated and passable, followed by other important routes.

With a budget of £7.1m, it treats more than half of the county's 5,600 miles of roads - the largest treated network of any county in England - on a routine basis.

In recent years, the authority has invested in renewing seven trailer gritters and 28 new snowploughs to ensure contractors have the right equipment.

It has a fleet of 93 gritters, five snowblowers and can call on the services of more than 120 snowplough contractors when conditions become severe.

Executive member for highways Gareth Dadd said: "North Yorkshire's highways network is vast and keeping the network open and on the move throughout the worst of the winter weather is a complex and expensive operation.

“Nevertheless, winter maintenance is a top priority for the county council and once again we are well prepared for snow and icy conditions."