Winter preparations under way for region's roads

Preparations for next season's wintry weather are under way across a region.

Several new gritters are due to operate on Cumberland's roads, as the council said it would invite residents and schools to suggest names for four of the vehicles soon.

Cumberland Council said it had also began checking and refilling about 2,000 yellow grit bins and replenishing its salt stocks.

The Met Office said it expected the influence of El Niño - a powerful natural climate phenomenon - would increase the chances of wetter, stormier conditions in the coming autumn and early winter.

Councillor Denise Rollo said her team was "pleased to have invested in several new gritting vehicles ahead of the season".

"We'll soon be inviting residents and schools to suggest names for four of the vehicles, so we'd encourage people to keep an eye out for more details and get involved," she added.

In 2024 the council named one of its gritters after BBC Radio Cumbria's breakfast show presenter Mike Zeller.

The council said it had fitted grit bins with new stickers displaying a unique reference number which makes it "quicker and easier for residents to report a bin that is running low".

The council said it had also updated and expanded its Weather Ready platform, which provides a hub for advice and services.

The authority said salt from council grit bins and heaps on the side of the road should only be used on public roads and footpaths.

Anyone needing salt for private driveways or paths should buy their own supplies from retailers, the council added.

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