Kent's fleet of more than 60 salting lorries are working round the clock to keep the county moving during the weekend's big freeze.

Extra highways crews were drafted in, so salting lorries fitted with snow ploughs could be driven non-stop throughout the night to make sure key routes were kept clear of snow and ice.

The lorries – many of them 4x4 – spread around 1,000 tonnes of salt on Kent's most important routes. All major roads in the county are open and passable with care.

In addition, the county council has fully stocked 2,000 salt bins across Kent, and provided more than 100 one-tonne salt bags to parishes, to help local communities beat freezing road conditions.

If conditions cause disruption on Monday, parents can check whether their school is open by visiting www.kent.gov.uk/winter .

Bryan Sweetland, Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste, said: "Our lorries were out non-stop throughout the night, spreading salt before snow fell then patrolling during the snow to clear roads. I'd like to thank all those crews for working round the clock and the many farmers who were out first thing helping clear agreed rural routes.

If temperatures, as expected, fall below zero tonight (Sunday), we will be out again.

"The lorries salt our main ‘A' and ‘B'-roads first, which make up about a third of all our roads, and then treat another 15% of other important parts of the network. We do not treat all the roads. It is important to remember that drivers need to take particular care in snowy and icy conditions.

"Our aim is to keep Kent moving by maintaining important routes to hospitals, workplaces, and schools, for example, and those routes used by buses.

"We also have smaller vehicles that can help clear snow and salt smaller roads, such as estate roads, that are not on main salting routes when an area is particularly badly hit.

Mr Sweetland said the salt bins would be used by local communities. He said: "The salt bins are there to help all road users, including pedestrians. They can be used to treat ice and snow on small areas of the road or footpaths. It is not for use on private drives or paths.

"In addition to expanding the number of salt bins in Kent we have again encouraged parishes to take up our offer to have one-tonne salt bags. This allows the parishes to co-ordinate where and who will treat their patch, so that local people can work together to improve conditions in their area."

Last year the government issued advice on how people can clear snow safely and effectively. For more information on the Snow Code, please visit: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_191868

Kent's one-stop winter service web page, www.kent.gov.uk/winter, also has information on salting routes, winter driving advice and other Kent County Council services that could be affected by snow.

© Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2012