Oxfordshire County Council said today it had made a temporary decision to revert to gritting all major A-roads and B-roads in the county.

The council said it had taken a decision before the weekend to cut back on the number of roads it had been gritting from 43 per cent to 29 per cent in a bid to conserve depleting salt stocks.

However, the council said it had enough salt to resume a temporary full programme of gritting today.

A spokesman said: "Decisions will be taken during the course of today as to how gritting operations might take shape late on Monday, February 9 and into Tuesday, February 10.

"Gritting of 29 per cent of roads will be the normal schedule, unless otherwise stated. The Highways Agency is responsible for the A34 and M40."