A snowy Westminster bridge last winter.

With February traditionally being the month when the snow falls, the Mayor of London, Transport for London (TfL) and London Councils – the body representing all 32 of London's boroughs and the City of London - have set out the measures underway to keep London moving during any coming bad weather.

The organisations have co-ordinated plans, developed alongside the local borough councils, the emergency services and Network Rail, designed to ensure the transport network and a network of key routes remain open throughout even the most severe weather. This includes roads and footways around bus garages and stations, hospitals with accident and emergency departments, railway stations and police, fire and ambulance stations across London.

TfL, which is responsible for the 580km network of London's Red Routes, has stockpiled more than 22,000 tonnes of salt within its London depots before winter kicked in.  Last year TfL also created a 27,000 tonne pan-London Strategic Salt Reserve, which remains fully stocked and untouched. This is ready for deployment and capable of supplementing stocks held by the boroughs. The amount of salt stored by London’s local authorities has been boosted, taking London's total stock to over 100,000 tonnes.

Across London, a fleet of 40 gritters, all of which can be fitted with ploughs, as well as gritting quad bikes, flat bed trucks and teams of gritlayers will operate across Transport for London’s major road network.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Across the length and breadth of London’s roads and rails and Tube, hundreds of workers will be toiling across the winter, ensuring that commuters can commute, shoppers can shop and tourists can continue to tour our great city.  With more than 100,000 tonnes of salt across the capital and an army of gritters, de-icers and specially adapted Tube carriages, together we will ensure that coordinated and swift action is taken to keep the Capital moving.”

Peter Hendy, London’s Transport Commissioner said: "We have made detailed preparations for harsh weather conditions and have well-rehearsed procedures. Working closely with London's boroughs, we've ensured that there is a fully co-ordinated response for all modes of traffic across the Capital, as well as a 27,000 tonne salt reserve for TfL and the boroughs to fall back on should supplies run low."