People are being asked to be mindful of the conditions and respectful of where they park if they are visiting Dartmoor or other places on high ground in the county this weekend.

The worst of this week’s cold snap may have passed, but road surface temperatures are still expected to be at, or below, freezing in many parts of the county overnight. Any ice and snow that remains is likely to thaw and re-freeze.

On Dartmoor, although main roads are clear, there is still a risk of ice on more minor roads across the moors. Along with Dartmoor National Park Authority and Devon & Cornwall Police, we’re urging people to take extra care when travelling and to be considerate when parking.

Our gritters will be treating many of the main salting routes, including those on Dartmoor, this afternoon.

We have used more than 3,800 tonnes of salt on our roads so far this winter. Over 2,000 tonnes of that has been this week alone – but we can’t treat every road on our 8,000 mile network, which is the biggest road network of any authority in the country.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said:

“You should expect the possibility that minor roads may still be icy this weekend, particularly routes which are off the salting network. As tempting as it might be to visit locations to see some snow, please think about your journey, wherever you’re headed. You don’t want to put yourself or others at risk, so please take extra care and be considerate of others.”

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Cabinet Member for Highway Management

Richard Drysdale, Dartmoor National Park Authority’s Director of Conservation and Communities, said: “Dartmoor is an amazing environment that we all enjoy, but I would ask everyone to please think of others and respect that it’s a living and working landscape. People in our local communities still need to get to and from work, emergency services need to be able to access local communities, and farmers need access to their fields and livestock so we need people to heed advice not to park across gateways and to keep their dogs under effective control.”

Chief Inspector Dean Drury, of Devon and Cornwall Roads Policing, said: “Our officers and staff are aware of the continued forecast of cold and wet weather, which may potentially lead to icy road conditions over this weekend. Officers will be on patrol and working with our partners in Devon County Council and National Highways.

“In line with previous advice, I would still urge drivers to consider whether their journey is necessary and, if not, to consider not driving due to potentially challenging conditions.

“If people do drive, we encourage them to ensure their vehicle is in a roadworthy condition, with good tyre condition, clear windscreens and windows and to allow plenty of time to make the journey. People should allow for slower speeds and to take into account greater stopping distances that may be required. It is important to think about wearing appropriate clothing, carrying a blanket, a charged mobile phone, enough fuel to account for any hold-ups on the road and to consider taking a hot drink in a flask, should you need to stop for an extended period, whilst the weather remains cold.

“If the journey is necessary, then remember that not all roads will have been treated by gritters, so minor roads may be more icy than main roads, and more care may be needed.”

Please remember the following advice:

Never assume a road has been salted. Remember that showers or rain will wash salt off roads leaving them prone to ice, and in extreme cold even salting will not stop ice from forming;

Allow additional time for your journey;

Reduce your speed and leave more space between you and the vehicle in front;

Drive with care and according to the conditions;

If you have vulnerable or elderly neighbours, think about how they could possibly be helped through the cold spell;

Try to maintain indoor temperatures to at least 18C, particularly if you are not mobile, have long-term illness or are 65 or over. The NHS website has more information on staying healthy during cold weather;