The county’s roads are ready for winter and the council is ready for the worst forecasts according to the chair of the highways committee.

Cambridgeshire County Council's highways and infrastructure committee agreed the county's winter roads plan yesterday (September 10).

According to the council report the highways team currently grit "approximately 44 per cent of the highway network".

The 2019/20 budget for delivering the winter service is £2,125,000.

Chair of the committee, Conservative Mathew Shuter said the council's highways service is "certainly" ready for winter.

Cllr Shuter said: "We have agreed the winter plan that is very similar to last year. We agreed a slight increase in funding to cover a small deficit that there was last year."

He added: "We certainly are [ready for winter]. We have got 37 gritters out there which are fully equipped and ready to go, and we've got our stocks of salt."

The chair raised the prospect of another so-called Beast from the East in the committee, and said the council is ready for that scenario.

Speaking afterwards he said: "There are some weather reports - or supposed weather reports - in the Sunday papers saying there is going to be two months of Beast from the East coming in January and February.

"Mind you they can't always forecast what is going to happen next week, so I think we slightly take that with a pinch of salt - but we are ready for it if it comes."