Highways. Winter update

[geoff parcell]

From: [e-mail]
Highways Winter Update 8.30am 23 Jan 2013
Rain preceding the snow yesterday afternoon meant we could not pretreat the network and had to wait for the snow to start to fall. Any salt put down in advance would have just washed off the highway. The timing could not have been worse as the heavy snow arrived at rush hour as people were trying to get home and as they got into difficulty it hampered the gritters getting around the County and some areas turned into large car parks. Trying to treat over 1000kms of highway in a short time is not possible, it normally takes a gritter around 2 hours to treat a route with a clear run.
Gritters worked all night and the majority of main roads are now open and passable, the exceptions are A39 Porlock Hill, A396 sections closed due to falling trees which is also a problem on the A39 at Holford and Nether Stowey. Work will continue today with a change of crews at midday.
High ground got the heaviest snow and problems around Corfe, top of Cheddar and as expected on the top of Exmoor, Quantocks and the Mendips.
Temperatures are currently around zero or just above and should rise throughout the morning which may ease the situation but if it freezes tonight problems with ice will develop.
The forecast shows a light band of snow hovering around Somerset for the next few hours but without significant falls.
TDBC are giving assistance with pavement clearance today and several other Town and Parish Councils are providing invaluable support and must be thanked.
Regards,
Geoff Dight