WORCESTERSHIRE County Council's fleet of gritters will hit the streets for the first time this season tonight with forecasts predicting a freezing bonfire night.

All 31 vehicles will roll out from depots at around 7pm this evening to cover designated routes with temperatures dipping as low as -2 on road surfaces.

Drivers, who last season clocked up around 49,500 miles – the equivalent of travelling from County Hall, Worcester, to the South Pole five times, have been on standby since mid-October.

The county's depots have stocks of approximately 13,000 tonnes of grit ready to use and this year, following a successful pilot scheme, all of Worcestershire's gritters are equipped with the latest technology, pioneered in Europe, that uses brine solution on salt before its placed on roads making it work quicker while at the same time cutting waste as it helps more grit stay on the highway rather than bouncing off roads.

However, as always motorists are being urged to drive with caution and never assume it's safe to travel at normal speeds even if they believe highways have been treated with grit.

Councillor John Smith OBE, county council cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "The teams have been ready to go for a few weeks and the forecasts suggest it's going to be a cold one overnight so they will be rolling out this evening for the first time this season.

"The message to drivers is very familiar but still just as important as ever. Please take care when temperatures dip because grit will never be a miracle cure. Never assume that it's safe to travel at normal speeds when it's icy, even if you think roads may have been treated."

The county council's Twitter account, twitter.com/worcscc, has jumped into 'Gritter Twitter' mode for a fourth year to keep people up-to-date on what the teams are doing to keep roads safe.

Anyone looking to find out more can do so via www.worcestershire.gov.uk/gritting. The dedicated section allows visitors to use interactive maps to follow the designated routes, pinpoint their nearest grit bin and report any problems the winter's harsh weather may bring via the web. It also contains guidance on clearing snow/ice from outside homes which, despite rumours, poses no legal threat to householders.