COLD temperatures are likely to affect most routes in the Scottish Borders overnight.

BEAR Scotland will have 13 gritters operating in the south east region of the country.

Andy Thompson, BEAR Scotland’s South East operating Company Representative, said: “Our team will be working tirelessly throughout the winter period to keep Scotland’s key routes operating.

 

 

“Our main priority is always to ensure roads are as safe as possible for motorists to travel on, and our dedicated team will be doing all they can in the months ahead to make that happen.

READ MORE: BEAR Scotland deploy 13 gritters in south east region overnight

“It’s important that road users play their part, too. Now is the time to ensure vehicles are well maintained. And as we head into winter, it’s essential that anyone travelling pays close attention to media coverage and weather forecasts to allow for sufficient planning and time for their journeys.”

READ MORE: Watch Timmy Mallett's visit to the Scottish Borders here

Members of the public can live track gritters on the trunk road network using Transport Scotland’s online ‘trunk road gritter tracker’. It displays the current location of gritters and a trail with an age range for where gritters have previously passed along trunk routes across Scotland.

The RAC has issued the following advice for driving in icy conditions.

Anticipation and smoothness are key for driving on icy roads.

Look well ahead for potential hazards – including, of course, patches of ice – and keep your speed well down.

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Accelerate, brake, steer and change gear as smoothly as possible to reduce the risk of a skid.

A higher gear may be more appropriate to aid grip on packed ice.

This helps manage engine power delivery, making it easier to find traction. If it’s a manual, you might need to slip the clutch a little to prevent the car from stalling. 

Many automatics will let you select second gear at a standstill to pull away in.