LOCAL authorities in the region say they are ready to keep the roads running this winter during any cold snaps.

Although the last two winters have been comparatively mild, Swindon Borough Council has stocked up on salt to grit the roads if the temperatures start to plummet.

Forecasters are already predicting that this winter could possibly be the coldest for decades due to El Nino, a weather phenomenon that occurs when Pacific waters become exceptionally warm.

Earlier this month a delivery of 1,000 tonnes of salt was taken, bringing the total amount up to 2,800.

If this falls short there is an option to purchase another 1,000 tonnes later in the winter.

This would allow the council to carry out 70 trips, meaning 268 miles of the main road network in the borough would be covered.

Last winter 1,580 tonnes was used for 39 trips, in 2013/14 1200 tonnes was used for 30 trips, and In the winter of 2012/13 2,075 tonnes was used for 54 trips.

Coun Brian Ford (Con, Wroughton and Wichelstowe), the cabinet member for Streetsmart, said: “As ever, we are fully prepared for whatever winter throws at us.

"A lot of the work that goes on is unseen as freezing temperatures often arrive overnight or in the early hours of the morning, which is when council staff are hard at work keeping the roads safe.

“We also have people who constantly monitor road surface temperatures via computer, with the information provided by remote sensing stations around the borough.

"Their responsibility is to send out the gritting lorries in enough time to treat the roads before they freeze.

“The amount of salt we have in stock at present is more than we have used over the past few winters, but if this one is harsh we have made sure we have access to further stocks if we need them.”

Wiltshire Council has also announced it is fully stocked up, with 14,000 tonnes of salt at the ready if needed.

It can take up to 140 tonnes of salt to grit Wiltshire’s A and B class roads and 230 tonnes to salt an extended network during prolonged cold weather.

Coun Philip Whitehead, Wiltshire’s cabinet member for highways, said: “We have a dedicated team doing an amazing job in very difficult conditions, and we are more prepared than ever this year.

“We can, of course, never predict how severe a winter will be, but the wealth of experience we have means we will be in the best position possible should bad weather hit the county.”

Forecasters say there could be a freeze this winter to rival the one in 2010, where snow remained for several weeks.