Around 900 miles of Somerset's road network will still be gritted over the winter months despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Somerset County Council, which is responsible for highway matters, has published a map showing all the routes it intends to treat with its fleet of 23 gritters as the nights begin to draw in.

Around one-fifth of the county's road network will be treated by the county council, on top of Highways England's work to ensure the M5 and A303 remain passable.

The council has also issued advice for motorists to prevent them from being stranded or requiring emergency help in the event of adverse weather conditions.

Here's everything you need to know about everything that is being done to keep Somerset moving this winter:

When are the roads gritted?

The council carries out gritting when road surface temperatures are predicted to drop below 1 C and ice or snow is expected.

Precautionary gritting normally takes place before the formation of ice – meaning you're most likely to see gritting lorries out in the evening or early-morning.

If we get snow, the gritters can be equipped with snowploughs, and the council will use its links with local farmers and snowplough operators to ensure the primary road network remains open.

How does the council decide which roads are gritted?

The council decides which roads will be gritted based on a number of criteria – namely:

Connectivity between major communities (e.g. A38 between Taunton and Bridgwater)

Links to the strategic highway network (e.g. the M5, A303 and A36)

Connectivity across local authority boundaries (e.g. the A30 into Devon)

Links to transport interchanges (e.g. railway and bus stations)

Access to emergency facilities (e.g. Musgrove Park Hospital)

Links to critical infrastructure (e.g. petrol stations)

Other locally important facilities (e.g. RNAS Yeovilton, major quarries)

Links to major settlements (500+ properties)

Links to urban schools (500+ pupils) and rural schools (300+ pupils)

Continuity with other sections of the highway network

In areas where roads aren't gritted, the council is working with town and parish councils to ensure roadside grit bins are kept full, and a community-led "snow warden" scheme remains in effect.

Have any roads been cut back this year because of the pandemic?

The short answer is: no.

The council did scale back its gritting operations as part of a swathe of budget cuts agreed in September 2018, reducing its network coverage to 720 miles.

But these cuts were reversed for the winter of 2019/20 – and every road which was treated that winter will be treated this coming winter as well.

The main addition to the network this year are the new roads being constructed around the improved M5 Junction 25 in Taunton.

Which roads are being gritted?

Alongside the M5 and A303 (and A36 near Frome), most major A-roads through the county will be gritted through the winter.

These include:

The A30 between the Devon border and the Dorset borders via Chard, Crewkerne, Yeovil, Milborne Port and Henstridge

The A358 between the Devon border and Williton via Chard, Ilminster and Taunton

The A359 between Yeovil and Frome via Sparkford and Bruton

The A38 between the Devon border and Highbridge/ Burnham-on-Sea via Wellington, Taunton and Bridgwater

The A39 between Minehead and Chewton Mendip via Williton, Bridgwater, Street, Glastonbury and Wells

The A3088 connecting the A303 to Yeovil

A smaller number of significant B-roads will also be treated, such as the B3165 near Crewkerne and the B3153 between Somerton and Castle Cary.

Here's a full list of the local routes which were restored to the council's gritting map last year – and which remain in place for this winter:

Mendip

B3081 (southern end), Evercreech

B3110 Frome Road, Norton St Philip

B3136 Bath Road, Shepton Mallet

Brewery Lane, nr Stratton-on-the-Fosse

Burnt House Lane, Stoke St Michael

Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury

Clink Road, Frome

Highbury Street, Highbury

Knaptons Hill, Mells

Leigh Street, Leigh-upon-Mendip

Lock's Hill/ Rossiter's Hill/ Rossiter's Road, Frome

Long Cross Bottom/ Mendip Road, Stoke St Michael

Old Wells Road, Shepton Mallet

Quarry Road, Mells

Rodden Road, Frome

Selwood Road/ Welshmill Lane, Frome

Somers Hill, Leigh-upon-Mendip

St Peters Road, Shepton Mallet

Tansey, nr Cranmore

Whatcombe Road, Frome

Wookey Hole Road, Wells