A NEW multi-million-pound fleet of gritting lorries has been bought by The Highways Agency to help keep Derbyshire's roads safe this winter.

The 43 orange-painted vehicles are replacing the agency's older yellow gritters and will be used on main routes across the East Midlands.

The Highways Agency also says it has prepared for winter by building up a stockpile of extra salt.

Last February, reserves of grit almost ran out across Derbyshire and the Government had to step in to arrange emergency supplies.

But Simon Phillips, winter and resilience manager for the agency, said: "We have reviewed the processes of salt supply over the summer, stocked up on extra salt and have a back-up salt supplier ready in case of any problems.

He added: "Last winter the Highways Agency's salt supply was not a problem. It was the local governments that were running out. We ended up supplying them with our stocks."

Of the 43 new vehicles, which cost a total of around £4.5m, seven will be kept at the depot in Bostocks Lane, Sandiacre.

The two types of new gritters can carry salt loads of nine tonnes and 12 tonnes and are equipped with technology which dampens the salt before it is spread on to the roads, helping ice to melt faster.

Mr Phillips said: "The vehicles carry brine as well as salt and this wets the salt before it hits the road. This makes it far more effective."

The Highways Agency is Government-funded and looks after main roads like the A38 and A50, along with motorways.

Mr Phillips said: "For the East Midlands we have around 17,000 tonnes of salt. For a strong winter we would expect to use most of that.

"This is up slightly on last winter's amount even though the weather is predicted to be wetter and warmer than last year."

Paul Braithwaite, assistant winter services manager for the Highways Agency, said the gritters were the first new ones the region had received in 20 years.

He said: "We have given them a trial run, taken them out and checked they run all right. We also had one live call-out at the beginning of November, which went well.

"For the future we are looking at installing communication equipment that would let drivers talk to depots on the same frequency the police and other emergency services are using.

"This would make reacting to emergencies a lot better and quicker."

Martin Hobbs, Highways Agency head of severe weather strategy, said last winter was a tough test.

He said: "The Highways Agency was well prepared for the severe weather and, working with central government, was able to help a number of local authorities experiencing difficulties with shortfalls in their salt levels."