POLICE, councils and roads authorities will stage a planning exercise today to test whether Scotland's transport network is prepared for another bout of extremely cold weather this winter.

It comes after The Herald yesterday revealed how salt was being stockpiled across Scotland in a bid to avoid a repeat of last year’s chaos.

Around 200 delegates are expected to attend today’s event to take part in a role-playing scenario to see how they would cope if heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures threatened to bring roads to a standstill.

It is one of a series of measures ordered following the record cold temperatures last winter that left large sections of Scotland’s motorway network gridlocked, leaving thousands of motorists stranded.

Keith Brown – who was parachuted into the post of transport minister in December after the crisis prompted the resignation of his predecessor, Stewart Stevenson – will give details of a “winter readiness week”, due to be held in October, in which emergency planning procedures will be discussed.

Today’s event at Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, is due to be attended by representatives from local authorities, road maintenance companies, emergency services as well as freight and motoring groups.

Transport Scotland, the Government agency that is co-ordinating winter preparedness planning, has already reached agreement with the haulage industry over procedures which will see trucks pull over to the side of the road to allow gritters and snow ploughs access to motorways.

The agency is also working on improved communication with freight firms to ensure information about specific problems on the road network is passed on speedily, rather than just generic advice to avoid unnecessary travel.

The measures have been implemented in response to the “perfect storm” which hit the road network early last December, as a sudden onset of heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures during rush-hour traffic left motorways gridlocked.

Gritting trucks and snow ploughs were then unable to gain access to clear the snow and ice, leaving the M8 closed for two days.

The problems appeared to catch many councils and Transport Scotland by surprise, as much of the advance planning had focused on avoiding a repeat of the previous winter, when stocks of gritting salt ran dangerously low.

Mr Brown announced a six-point plan to ensure better co-ordination of responses by councils, roads authorities and emergency services in the aftermath of the crisis.

This is expected to be refined further during the October planning week as key players share feedback on their plans.