To help keep Surrey moving during freezing weather, all of Surrey County Council’s grit bins have now been filled.

The 1,741 bins across the country have been filled to help people treat roads and pavements in their communities this winter.

For the first time, bins are being fitted with barcodes to enable to council to remotely monitor stocks.

John Furey, Surrey County Council’s cabinet member for transport and environment, said: “We’ve got a huge operation ready to tackle winter weather, but the truth is we can’t do everything.

“It will be a big benefit to communities if people use the grit from our bins to treat roads and pavements, but we’d ask them only to use what they need, so it goes as far as possible.”

This year, communities and parish councils can buy a grit bin and put it on the roadside to help people play their part in tackling ice and snow.