Icy roads which would normally be treated by gritters may be left in a hazardous condition this winter because of the ongoing shortage of truck drivers and council staff.
The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, has issued a stark warning to drivers as temperatures drop.
Cllr David Renard, transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said: “While most councils have been able to keep services running, some may find that their gritting services are affected in the same way that some have seen waste collection services impacted.
“As they do every year, councils will be working proactively to plan ahead and ensure that their winter services are as resilient as they can be.”
Dozens of councils across the country have had to cancel, alter and delay rubbish collections because of shortages - and that now looks set to be translated to gritter operations, reports The Sun.
Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Jim McMahon said: "We are facing a perfect storm of empty shelves, dry forecourts and services not delivered thanks to the Conservatives' failure to plan for or even acknowledge the scale of this crisis.
"These issues aren't going to disappear, no matter how much the Prime Minister tries to ignore them or blame others.
"Until the Government gets a grip, ordinary people will continue to pay the price for the major labour and skills shortages that will make an already critical situation worse."
The Department for Transport said last night: “We expect local authorities to maintain a safe local road network over winter.”
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