Devon drivers warned to ‘check your tyres now’ as icy Dartmoor roads pose winter danger

Devon County Council is stepping up preparations for the winter season and urging motorists, particularly those in rural and upland areas such as Dartmoor and West Devon, to check their tyres and drive with extra care as temperatures drop.

Councillor Dan Thomas, Devon County Councillor and Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, said the authority is “committed to improving road safety across the county, particularly in rural and high-risk areas such as Dartmoor and West Devon. We recognise the unique challenges these areas present, steep gradients, narrow lanes, and unpredictable weather can all contribute to difficult driving conditions.”

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He explained that although winter tyres are not mandatory in the UK, the council “encourages motorists, especially those travelling regularly in rural or elevated areas, to consider fitting winter or all-season tyres.” 

These tyres, he said, “offer improved grip and handling in cold, wet, or icy conditions and can significantly enhance safety.”

Councillor Thomas confirmed that the council’s winter readiness programme is already in full swing, with measures including:

• Inspecting roads and drainage along gritting routes
• Servicing and deploying gritters and snow ploughs
• Monitoring weather forecasts daily for timely treatment of priority routes
• Maintaining salt stocks at depots across the county
• Working with emergency services and local communities to respond to severe weather

“We prioritise key routes for gritting, including those serving hospitals, schools, and major transport links,” he said. “But we also encourage residents to check our online gritting maps and plan journeys accordingly.”

His advice for motorists is: “Check your tyres, tread depth, pressure, and overall condition. Ensure your vehicle is winter-ready, carry essentials such as warm clothing and a torch, and drive cautiously, allowing extra time and distance in poor conditions.”

Devon is also a key partner in Vision Zero South West, a regional initiative aiming to eliminate all fatal and serious injuries from the roads. “Vision Zero’s goal of halving serious collisions by 2030 aligns closely with our own commitment to safer travel for all road users,” said Councillor Thomas.

Behind the scenes, Devon’s Highways Operations Control Centre in Exeter monitors the road network 24/7 using CCTV, weather data and traffic information to coordinate gritting and keep drivers updated during snow, ice or flooding.

The council’s message ties in with National Highways’ seasonal T.R.I.P. campaign, which stands for ‘Top-up, Rest, Inspect and Prepare’, and with National Tyre Safety Month, both encouraging drivers to carry out basic vehicle checks before setting out.

New national figures highlight why, with The Department for Transport estimating that around six million tyres on UK roads are illegal, roughly one in four vehicles. 

Last year, almost 200 people were killed or seriously injured in collisions where tyres were a factor, a 29 per cent rise on the previous year.

Colin Stevenson, Road Safety Information Lead at National Highways, warned: “Tyres are the only part of your vehicle in contact with the road, and if they’re excessively worn, under-inflated or damaged, the consequences can be devastating. The risks posed by defective tyres are just as serious as using a mobile phone behind the wheel, and often overlooked.”

Breakdown data from 2024 showed more than 53,000 tyre-related breakdowns on motorways and major A-roads, almost one in five of all incidents.

For many on Dartmoor, the advice is more than theoretical, with residents saying conditions can quickly turn treacherous once snow and ice set in.

One Buckfastleigh resident warned: “If you haven’t driven much in snow, don’t come up here, the conditions are too harsh come winter.”

A Haytor local added: “If you don’t have a 4x4 or winter tyres and experience driving on ice, stay away. You’ll get stuck and someone will have to rescue you.”

Others pointed out which routes tend to stay safest. “From Ashburton through Poundsgate it’s usually fine, but near Pixieland there tend to be icy patches on the bends. Driving steady is the key,” said one driver.

Another noted: “The only roads that are regularly gritted are from Bovey Tracey up to Haytor and Ashburton through Poundsgate, but heavy snow can make grit useless.”