The county was poised for severe winter weather conditions and freezing temperatures with the forecast set for snow, and approximately 2,000 tonnes of grit was spread across the highway network from Saturday afternoon onwards.

Based on dedicated forecasts from the County Council’s own weather service and readings from roadside temperatures across Essex, gritters went out on six occasions over the weekend and again overnight to prepare for rush hour this morning (Monday).

Gritters were fitted with ploughs to clear snow and farmers assisted with ploughing in rural areas.

County Councillor Tracey Chapman, Cabinet Member for Highways & Transportation, said: “Our gritters have done a brilliant job coping with the heavy snow we have had this weekend. As a result of their tireless efforts all of the county’s main roads remain open and they are working non-stop to ensure it stays this way. Thank you to all of them for their hard work.

“With the weather expected to remain cold during this week I would like to advise residents if you do need to travel please drive with caution and check the condition of your car before you leave.”

Residents can get the very latest gritting updates by following the Essex Travel Twitter feed @Essex_Travel.

Essex County Council is keeping its fleet of winter gritters on standby to treat the county’s road network when required, with 120 personnel on standby over a 24 hour period.

The county has a healthy supply of grit available, having restocked to capacity for the start of the winter season.

The County Council is required to focus its gritting resources on keeping major roads clear, so it operates a precautionary salting network. This includes all ‘A’ and ‘B’ roads, access routes for emergency services, rural link roads and major public transport routes.

Residents are advised to continue to travel with caution at this time, checking the condition of their car tyres and battery before they leave, and packing an emergency kit in case they get stuck for a while (containing items like warm clothing, bottled water, mobile phone and a torch). 

Essex County Council is also asking all residents to remember the vulnerable during the current cold spell. 

Residents are also advised that they can take action to clear their own local pavements and pathways of snow and ice, as long as they take a careful and common sense approach.

For further advice on safe winter driving and how to clear snow effectively visit www.essex.gov.uk/winter.