National Highways said it is investing £15.4 million to modernise 125 stations by the end of 2025.
Weather stations are being upgraded to enable road bosses make better decisions on when to deploy gritters.
They will have sensors assessing conditions in the atmosphere and on carriageways, with cables running between the stations and the roads. Gritters spread rock salt on roads, which combines with moisture to prevent ice forming when temperatures drop below the freezing point for water.Rachel Adams, head of winter maintenance products at Vaisala, the company manufacturing the new weather stations, told the PA news agency: “They are the eyes of National Highways on the road network.
“The weather stations are designed primarily for winter use, detecting ice formation, cold temperatures and snow on the network.