COUNCILS across the region are bracing themselves for heavy snow showers and plummeting temperatures.

Local authorities, many of whom were caught out by blizzard-like conditions earlier this month, are determined to be prepared to tackle the effects of the latest cold front, due to hit the region tomorrow.

The North-East is expected to be badly hit, with severe conditions and heavy snow predicted.

Councils say they are ready for the big freeze after snow on January 15 caught highway engineers and even the Met Office unawares.

That led to traffic gridlock during the evening rush hour, when motorists realised that many roads had not been gritted.

Angry drivers criticised the lack of gritters, but councils said they were still receiving weather forecasts predicting the snow would only affect high ground.

Last night, councils said that, this time, they will have snow ploughs and gritters on standby.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council said: "We have 6,000 miles of road in the county and the roads are gritted on a priority basis.

"We can also call on people, like farmers, if and when we need them to help with the gritting or snowploughing if conditions are particularly bad in certain areas."

Councils are kept informed of predicted conditions with regular reports from the Met Office, and most grit the roads morning and night or when needed.

A Durham County Council spokeswoman said motorists should remember that the salt only takes effect once cars have driven on the roads.

The Highways Agency said many roads in the North-East had already been treated and it had 700 gritters and snow ploughs on full alert across the country.

Inspector Steve Lawson, of Cleveland Police, issued a warning to drivers to take care during the severe weather.

He said motorists should set off early, make sure there was sufficient screen wash and anti-freeze in their cars, check that tyres had enough tread and were properly inflated.

A spokesman for Hartlepool Borough Council said: "We are aware that bad weather is predicted and our fleet of gritters is on standby."