LONG stretches of roads in West Somerset could be left to freeze over if snow and ice comes this winter.

Somerset County Council is proposing to cut precautionary gritting routes – where roads are gritted in advance of wintry weather – from 23 to 16 as it strives to save £15 million by 2020.

And if the changes are approved by the council’s cabinet on Wednesday, a number of roads across the district will be deleted from the programme.

The council admits young people getting to school, pregnant women and the elderly are all likely to be particularly affected by the changes.

The proposal is one of more than 70 options which the council is considering in order to generate £15 million in savings, of which £13 million must come before the end of the financial year.

The council has said it will continue to grit key strategic and county routes such as the A39 and A358.

But it is proposing to no longer grit roads to settlements which are 500 feet or more above sea level, roads which lead into adjoining counties, and school links between urban and rural areas.

For a list of affected roads, see today’s Free Press (September 7).