Council in green move.

A COUNCIL is reducing its carbon footprint as well as helping to ensure roads remain safe during the winter months.

North Tyneside Council has upgraded five of its gritting wagons.

The vehicles are equipped with new engines, which produce less harmful emissions.

Electronic reversing alert systems are also fitted to the machines, warning drivers of approaching objects and allowing constant monitoring of the gritters at the back of the vehicles.

And tracking systems fitted last year allow the council to see where their wagons are at any given time, which is useful if any need to be redirected to a priority area.

The system can also produce a snail-trail on a computer map of the borough to display where the vehicles have been, which helps to ensure no area is missed.

Additionally, the local authority receives three daily specialised weather forecasts.