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Road users in the Harrogate District have been reassured that highways teams are undertaking a major programme of work to keep the county moving as winter continues to bite.

The county’s gritting crews are on call 24 hours a day throughout the winter months, ready to treat roads whenever needed, often being out on the road from 5am.

The teams, provided by NY Highways, the highways maintenance company set up by North Yorkshire County Council, treat priority routes around the county.

Details of the county’s gritting operation can be found at www.northyorks.gov.uk/road-gritting.

The interactive maps show gritter routes across North Yorkshire

This gives access to an interactive map, which shows the priority one and two routes and where gritters have been in the previous ten hours.

It also provides access to 27 roadside cameras, which relay live images of conditions on key routes around the county to help people with journey planning.

The county council’s executive member for highways and transportation, Cllr Keane Duncan, said: “Our gritting crews go out in all weathers and at all hours to make sure the county’s road network is open and as safe as possible.

“We’re immensely proud of the service we are able to deliver for the public. We treat almost 3,000 miles – 54 per cent – of our total road network and in a typical season make 6,600 runs.”

North Yorkshire County Council's fleet of gritters are keeping the county's roads moving

The county has seven primary highways depots plus satellite depots around the county. Its salt barns have capacity for about 55,000 tonnes of salt, which is bought locally from Boulby Potash Mine.

There are also 8,000 salt heaps and bins around the county.

The team is supported by about 100 farming contractors, who help to keep the roads clear in their locations during more challenging conditions.

The size of North Yorkshire’s road network means priority is given to keeping the main routes open.

Priority 1 routes connect or go through the county’s towns and are cleared before moving on to priority 2 routes, which give access to smaller communities.

During gritting operations, updates are posted on the county council’s Twitter account and Facebook page.

Follow @northyorkscc or #nygrit and https://www.facebook.com/northyorkscc

Advice for drivers about preparing for winter driving is available at www.northyorks.gov.uk/safe-winter-driving.

Online maps show live locations and routes of gritters in the Harrogate District and across North Yorkshire