[squigg]

That is correct - "trunk" as in body, so the main roads are trunk roads. The vans spread rock salt (which we call grit), hence called gritters! We Scots always get confused in the states when offered grits for breakfast .... Sadly it does mean you have to look after your car in winter, as that salt does wonders for chassis rust - you have to keep the car clean!

[Symbiote]

It's a salt/sand mix, since the sand (grit) provides extra grip.

If it's really cold (I assume this can happen in Scotland) it would just be grit.

(I'm not sure why "gritter" would be difficult to work out. "Grit" is a normal English word: bits of grit in the cabbage, 100 grit sandpaper.)

[buro9]

UK rock salt grit comes from here: https://www.saltassociation.co.uk/education/make-salt/rock-s...

The UK's biggest rock salt mine is in Winsford in Cheshire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_in_Cheshire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winsford#Rock_salt

Additionally part of the mine is now used as a deep secure store for files from the health service.

[piinthesky]

Mainly rock salt but doesnt work in extreme cold as the ice freezes with the rock salt in it. Ruins the vehicle chassis in the European country's which salt their roads but it keeps the Car industry going, not to mention pollutes water courses and crops.

[alkonaut]

And my favorite: in northern Scandinavia we try to be careful with salt because reindeer find it tasty...