SUFFOLK'S gritters will be working overnight in priority areas as the region prepares for the possibility of heavy snowfall.

SUFFOLK'S gritters will be working overnight in priority areas only as the region prepares for the possibility of heavy snowfall.

Gritters will treat priority 1 routes, which include A and B roads in the county, routes to main hospitals and fire stations and routes with more than 4,000 movements a day, but will not salt other roads.

Suffolk County Council said nearly three weeks of sub zero temperatures had put unprecedented pressure on its winter maintenance team.

Temperatures are expected to drop sharply overnight with the worst of the snow predicted in the west of the county from late evening.

Council gritters will be treating priority routes from 7pm tonight with further treatments dependant on actual weather conditions. The gritting fleet will be ready again at midnight in the west and from 3am in the rest of the county.

Guy McGregor, the council's roads chief, said: “We need to make sure we use the salt we have in the most effective and efficient way.

“We have stocks of salt at present, but we need to be prudent to ensure that we are able to continue to grit the priority routes.

“We feel it is important that everyone has a clear expectation of which roads will be gritted and appreciate why we are taking these measures.”