DORSET County Council treated its 680-mile salting network of roads last night.

A roads and B roads, and routes to schools and hospitals, are clear. Work is continuing on the county’s C-roads, and some, including the C13 Blandford to Shaftesbury road, are already passable.

Council spokesman, Michael Carhart-Harris, said vehicles were now on stand-by for further deployment.

“Salting and gritting took place through the night. The main A and B roads, and all routes to hospitals are clear.

“Some C roads were closed over night, but we believe many have now been reopened. The C13 road is now passable with care,” he said.

Some rural villages remain cut off by the weather, he said, adding that they will become the immediate focus for the council’s gritting and ploughing operations.

On-line reader, Dorset Mitch, reported 2.5 inches of snow in Gillingham, north Dorset.

“A30 (West) of Shaftesbury was gritted and a number of ploughs were on it up to Yeovil. Dorset Council have done well (the worse bits were in Somerset).”

The county’s trunk roads – including the A31 and A35, and the A351, were all classed as “passable” at 7am today.

Grit supplies at County Hall are 25 per cent greater than last year, with a total order of 12,000 tonnes expected to last throughout the winter.

“We’re using a 50-50 mix of salt and grit this year for better grip,” said Mr Carhart-Harris.