MORE than 5,000 tonnes of salt is on standby to help keep Darlington roads clear of ice this winter.

As the winter weather approaches, Darlington Borough Council's team of nine gritters is at the ready to react at the first sign of bad weather.

The winter gritting programme is expected to cost about £265,000, with each gritter on 24-hour standby until the end of April.

The move comes after the council was criticised in January as heavy snowfall caused chaos on the roads.

Many angry drivers claimed the council had not reacted quickly enough to the blizzards which swept through the region.

The gritting service is provided by the council's development and environment and community services departments, and the fleet of gritters covers approximately 330 kilometres in each gritting run.

The team uses daily weather forecasts from the Met Office, along with information on atmospheric and road surface temperatures from three weather stations in the borough to determine whether the roads need to be salted and how much salt to use.

Councillor Nick Wallis, the council's cabinet member for transport, said: "The teams are already on standby to make sure the borough's main routes are kept as clear as possible during the winter weather period."

The teams carry out salting in advance of cold spells to prevent frost and ice forming and also afterwards, to melt snow and ice.

During heavy snowfall, the teams keep roads clear for emergency services and other users, with snow ploughs and other heavy machinery used to clear the roads.

This month's Town Crier magazine carries a map detailing the council's gritting routes and giving advice on winter driving techniques.

Darlington Borough Council's Highway Winter Service team can be contacted on (01325) 388799.