With the weather getting colder and winter within touching distance, the county's 64 gritters are ready for action - and they all have great names!

TheGrittalo, Margrit and GreatGritsby are set to take to the streets - along with the county's other 61 named gritters.

The winter service by Kent County Council will remain in operation until March next year.

SnowFarah, AuntyFreeze and the rest of the trucks are all on standby, ready to combat the winter weather and plummeting temperatures.

In total, the gritter trucks cover 2,500 miles of Kent's roads with 53 primary salting routes that cover 1,300 miles.

KCC staff are keeping an eye on 13 weather stations around the county that determine when IceKrispie and the crew need to hit the road.

Across Kent, there are more than 2,000 salt bins in parishes which is backed up by around 117 farmers to help plough 208 rural routes during bad snow.

Despite a fairly warm winter last year, SirGritalot and the team covered around 70,000 miles across Kent, which is equivalent to about 80 trips between Land's End and John O'Groats.

Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Environment & Transport Matthew Balfour, said: “It might be a little chillier in the morning at the moment but freezing conditions can strike early and we’re fully prepared for this."

"A winter service runs between now and March and we’re stocked up with 20,000 tonnes of salt, held in a network of depots across the county."

“Whilst we’re confident we’re prepared, I’d urge everyone to make sure they’re ready for the winter months by checking over their cars, particularly brakes, topping up anti-freeze and ensuring their tyres are in the best condition for maximum safety."

"As ever, check the weather before travelling and make use of our salt bins to improve grip on roads and pavements.”

As part of the launch, KCC is urging the public to be prepared to:

• Make sure you have prepared and your vehicle is ready for winter driving.
• Plan ahead and check traffic information and weather reports before driving.
• Only drive if absolutely essential when there is heavy snow.
• KCC cannot clear pavements, so take extra care when walking. Please use available salt bins to scatter over pavements and roads.
• Make sure you check your tyres as lower treads can cause skidding.
• It may be sunny but always check the weather before travelling.

For up to date information about when the team is out, follow @grittingkent on Twitter.

For more information about Kent’s Winter Service, where you can also see a map of gritting routes, visit:www.kent.gov.uk/winter

Kent County Council is also running a competition for children, inviting them to come up with a name for two of KCC's mini gritters, which are designed to grit more narrow roads.

To enter, click here