AS WE experience lots of cold weather at the moment, residents in Basingstoke can use an interactive council tool to track where gritting vehicles are headed, and where they can access grit salt for themselves.

The map allows people to search by place name or postcode, and from there view hampshire County Council’s ‘Priority One Salt Routes’, ‘Priority Two Salt Routes’, ‘Community Salt Routes’, and all salt bins in their area.

Across the county, there are over 3000 blue or yellow bins filled with salt and/or grit for use in the community on public roads and pavements.

Residents are advised that one tablespoon of salt (20 grams) is sufficient to treat one square metre of road / pavement surface.

In addition, salt routes are prioritised based on how heavily used they are, for example by emergency services, or as school routes.

For more information visit: hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/severeweather/salting