£8.5 million plan to keep Scotland moving this winter

Scotland’s national transport agency is investing more than ever before in keeping our roads open for business and communities this winter.

Transport Scotland’s £8.5 million winter maintenance plan sees fleets of gritters and hundreds of staff mobilised across the country, putting months of planning into action.

The early arrival of snow and ice this year means operating companies and contractors have already been busy treating affected parts of Scotland’s 2,000 mile motorway and trunk road network.

Now, with more cold weather expected as winter progresses, road users are urged to ensure they do their bit by planning their journeys carefully. Drivers can access the Traffic Scotland website, www.trafficscotland.org, to get 'real-time' journey planning information about road and weather conditions as well as 95 'live-eye' cameras that give a valuable overview of the network.

Transport Scotland has invested in the Traffic Scotland website to ensure the service is resilient and can cope with the additional demand expected when weather conditions worsen.

In addition to the online information, Transport Scotland’s Customer Care Line - 0800 028 1414 - gives access to public transport timetables, making the decision to use a train or bus easier.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson, said:

"Keeping Scotland moving is vital to the Scottish economy, and this significant investment will ensure that our road maintenance companies are able to keep our lifeline routes open for business this winter.

"Obviously mother nature can interfere with the best laid plans, but our operating companies are as well prepared as they have ever been due to this record investment. With some areas having experienced the first cold spell, we are already seeing the benefits and that is set to continue over the coming months.

"Road users can play their part too, and I would urge people to use the Traffic Scotland website and Customer Care Line to check road conditions and all public transport alternatives. Advance journey planning can be a valuable tool which can help speed up journey times for businesses and commuters this winter, whilst bringing benefits for the environment."

Transport Scotland is committed to ensuring winter operations are delivered in a more sustainable way and one recent aspect of this is the use of pre-wetted salt to treat the roads.

This is the second year that all operating companies will have used this type of treatment that adds brine to traditional salt treatments to help it stick to the road. This makes become effective quicker, uses less salt and is therefore more environmentally friendly.