Flash freeze causes travel problems

Despite our continued gritting and snow clearing efforts, this abnormal winter weather continues to cause problems. A slight thaw yesterday, combined with a flash freeze overnight, has left some roads and pavements with a thin coat of ice which is making travel of any type hazardous across the borough.

Our teams will continue gritting primary (see our Gritting update here) and a rise in temperature throughout the day will also help improve conditions. However, until temperatures remain well above zero through the night, ice will be an issue for drivers and pedestrians in the mornings.

You will be aware from the national news that government has previously sought a 25 percent reduction in network gritting, and now require a 50 percent reduction. Barnsley has not received any significant deliveries of rock salt, so we will have to reduce network coverage to essential primary roads in the next few days if we do not receive a delivery. Until that time we will continue to grit roads and treat paths and plan to do so for the rest of the week.

In the meantime, we are asking motorists and pedestrians to take extreme care, as ungritted areas may get worse and some roads that have been gritted previously may not be in future if the council does not receive further rock salt stocks from government, which in turn would force us to cut back on our gritting routes. If this situation does occur, details will be posted on the council’s website, available as a pre-recorded message on the defects hotline (773555) and regular bulletins will be provided to local radio stations.

It is important to be observant when on the roads or footpaths as ice can be present although it looks clear. Please be extra careful. In some circumstances the police have closed roads until conditions improve or incidents have been cleared, and this information will also be available as noted.