TWO ice-breaking vehicles, 110,000 litres of ultra-low temperature de-icing liquid and 690,000 tonnes of road salt have been unveiled as part of the Scottish Government's latest contingency plans for winter weather.

The Raiko ice breakers, which use rotating spikes to break up ice, are regularly used in Finland and other Scandinavian countries but have not yet been deployed in the UK.

Their purchase, by Government agency Transport Scotland, comes after roads were brought to a standstill by two of the worst winters on record in 2009/10 and 2010/11. One of the worst problems was caused by a dense layer of ice which could not be shifted by normal gritters.

As a precaution against this, the plans this winter will include the use of de-icers that can function at temperatures lower than -10C, when traditional road salts cease to be effective.

The use of the low- temperature de-icer will be aided by mobile road temperature sensors fitted to gritters.

Transport Minister Keith Brown, who was in Edinburgh where the new equipment was on display, said it would help ensure that Scotland kept moving if severe weather was encountered in the coming months.