AS weather forecasters predict sub-zero temperatures over the next few days and commuters return to work on Monday after the Christmas break, Hampshire County Council is standing-by with over 100 dedicated salting staff and dozens of lorries for the cold snap ahead.

With temperatures set to plummet, widespread frosts and ice and the prospect of snow, disruption to rush hour traffic is possible. The weather is set to reach its coldest on Tuesday night when road surface temperatures could drop to minus eight degrees Celsius.

As part of preparations for the cold snap, the County Council has its 45 salting lorries standing by each carrying more than five tonnes of salt, which will go out across Hampshire to help keep traffic moving as safely as possible on all the main roads.

A priority schedule ensures that the busiest roads are routinely treated. The first routes which are treated comprise 26% of the road network which carries 85% of the total traffic. They include A roads, major bus routes and roads to major emergency service bases and large schools. Second priority routes are salted when there are prolonged freezing conditions.

Hampshire County Council uses the 'Icelert' system as an aid to deciding when to salt roads. 'Icelert' consists of a number of roadside sensor sites, which monitor road conditions such as air and road surface temperatures, wind speed and direction, rainfall, humidity and ice formation and salinity of the road surface.

This winter a new system is also being utilised which tracks gritting vehicles and allows greater efficiency in gritting Hampshire's roads. The data tracking software, 'DataTrak', shows the location of the gritters, which direction they are heading in, at what speed and whether they are currently spreading salt.

Councillor Mel Kendal, Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Environment, said: "Keeping roads safe in winter is a priority for the County Council, but I would urge everyone on the roads to be more cautious in very cold and frosty conditions and remember there is no such thing as an absolutely safe road surface.

"Never assume that roads are clear even if they look free from frost or ice, and always drive with caution even when a road has been salted, as the salting process is less effective at temperatures below minus five degrees and has virtually no effect when the road temperature is less than minus 10 degrees.

"The onus is always on drivers and motorcyclists to keep their speeds down to an appropriate level, leave plenty of room between them and the vehicle in front, and make sure that their vehicles are well maintained."

Advice and information on driving safely in winter is available on http://www3.hants.gov.uk/roads/highway-information.htm and, in emergency weather situations, residents can check this website for updates on roads in their area affected by adverse weather.