Now grit and gas are running out: Fewer roads to be salted to save supplies as the big freeze goes on

Published 12th Jan 2010

Britain faces the third Big Freeze of the winter today as yesterday's respite in sub-zero temperatures is replaced with fresh blizzards and up to 12 inches of snow.

Temperatures across the UK increased to two or three degrees above freezing yesterday, bringing a much-needed thaw to many roads and pavements.

But the relief was only temporary and today, commuters face a difficult journey home as parts of Britain are deluged by more heavy snow as an Atlantic weather system moves in.

With gritting still a huge headache for local authorities, the agencies responsible for the supply and distribution of road salt are due to hold another summit today.

Chief forecaster at the Met Office Steve Willington said: 'Fresh snowfall of 5-10 cm is expected across many areas, with up to 30 cm and blizzards over higher ground.

'The snow is likely to turn to rain across much of Cornwall and on the southern coasts of south-west England and South Wales this evening.'

Meteogroup forecaster Billy Payne said the snow would be caused by milder air from the Atlantic 'bumping into' colder air over the UK.

'Over the next 48 hours we could see between 5cm and 15cm in Wales and the South West,' he said.

'As this spreads in a northeasterly direction it could bring a light covering of snow anywhere over England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

'In eastern areas it will be more patchy with rain or sleet on the coast.

'It will remain cold today, with temperatures ranging between 0C and 3C. The mildest places will be in northern and eastern Scotland which could see temperatures of up to 7C.

Although daytime temperatures will remain above freezing across many areas, frosts are still expected this evening, which will cause treacherous conditions for commuters as ice re-forms.

With grit supplies now at 'critically low' levels, local authorities are struggling to make roads and pavements safe and motorists are advised to drive carefully.

A grandfather-of-four slipped to his death yesterday just yards from his home as he walked on icy pavements to pick up newspapers for his neighbours.

A shop assistant found the 79-year-old at the bottom of a snowy embankment, after first spotting his walking stick at the top of the slope in Longley, Sheffield.

His wife Iris,76, had called the local newsagent asking them to look out for her husband after he failed to return home from his regular walk to the store.

The cold conditions continued today in Richmond Park as the snow remained on the ground and refused to melt away

The cold conditions continued today in Richmond Park as the snow refused to melt away

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said the Highways Agency and local authorities agreed to reduce salt use on roads by 'at least 25 per cent' with further measures to conserve salt were likely to be introduced later this week.

Whitehall sources said gritting operations could be slashed by up to 40 per cent from today - dramatically increasing the number of communities abandoned to the weather.

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said the Government had failed to learn the lessons of the last spell of heavy snow in February 2009.

And she insisted the call for councils to reduce their daily use of salt was an 'admission of guilt' by the Government.

As forecasters warned that the cold could cling on into next week, the National Grid issued its fourth gas balancing alert of the week, signalling that the country urgently needs extra supplies of gas to fill reserves being drained by increased demand.

Shadow energy secretary Greg Clark said: 'This winter has exposed how fragile Britain's energy security is following a decade of Government indifference.

'Britain must do what our competitors do - have enough storage to see us through the winter.'

Yesterday thousands of pupils missed vital examinations because they could not get to school, while others slept overnight in classrooms to make sure they could sit the papers.

There were also concerns over public hygiene because some areas have had no rubbish collections for up to five weeks as refuse lorries are unable to reach them.

Gritting has already been limited to major roads in most areas after daily usage reached around 60,000 tonnes in the early days of the freeze.

Transport minister Sadiq Khan admitted that fresh measures were likely to be needed over the next 48 hours 'to keep Britain moving'.

Tom Foulkes, director general of the Institution of Civil Engineers, said: 'National salt supplies are now running dangerously low.

'In future, we must have much better contingency plans in place to ensure our roads are not rendered unusable when snow hits.'

An AA spokesman said roads were still treacherous because they were not being gritted as frequently or at all.

The breakdown rate was as high yesterday as last week, despite some easing of the weather, he said.

The AA wants local authorities to ask more farmers with tractors to snow plough the roads, mix sand with salt to make it go further and to publish maps showing gritted areas in green and non-gritted areas in red.

The National Grid's gas balancing alert came as cold weather led to a shutdown of the Ormen Lange processing centre in the Norwegian Sea, interrupting gas flows to Britain at a time of peak demand.

Most of the UK's gas arrives by pipeline from the North Sea or continental Europe as well as in liquefied form in tankers, and National Grid expects other suppliers to make up the shortfall.

Britain currently has 3074million cubic metres of gas in storage, enough based on yesterday's predicted usage for seven days.

While most gas does not come from storage, yesterday's crisis is a sign of what can happen if external supplies of gas fail. Last week factories had to stop using gas for a day because of a lack of supply.

As temperatures in parts of the South finally crept up enough to melt some of the snow and ice, those in the South West were warned to prepare for a fresh onslaught today.

Up to a foot of snow is expected to the South West and South Wales.

Fears are growing about the long term impact of the freeze. Northamptonshire council said it expected highways inspections to reveal widespread damage to its road network once the snow and ice has cleared.

In Hertfordshire, some householders have not had rubbish collected for five weeks.

Residents in St Albans and Harpenden still have the remains of Christmas dinner in their wheelie bins.

Blaming snow and icy conditions, refuse collectors at St Albans District Council have not collected recyclables for five weeks and normal household waste for three.


Thousands of pupils miss out on their GCSEs
By Laura Clark, Education Correspondent

Thousands of pupils missed taking their A-level and GCSE papers yesterday after officials refused to delay the exams.

Many pupils were unable to get to their schools because of icy roads and paralysed school bus services. While almost all schools managed to open for exam candidates, many reported high absence rates. Candidates unable to take exams due to the snow will have another chance to sit the papers in June.

But parents complained that these pupils would miss the opportunity to split their GCSE or A-level papers into two sittings - winter and summer.

Those retaking last summer's A-levels to boost their chances of a degree course place will be particularly badly hit.

This is because the old six-part A-levels are being discontinued from this month. That means those who miss out taking the resits this winter could be forced to accept their previous grades.

At Alton College in east Hampshire, 280 out of 320 students turned up for an AS-level maths paper. Thirty arrived late but were able to start the paper, while ten missed out.

Parents have condemned a primary school which plans to close at 2.30pm today to prevent staff having to drive home in the dark.

Pupils at Mayfield Church of England Primary in East Sussex were told to expect a shorter day so staff could drive home 'whilst it is still light'.

Parents said the decision would leave childcare arrangements in chaos.

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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