The gritting requested for Bishops Way, Mere Drive and The Orchard was carried out and more grit dropped off. I have also arranged for additional grit on Woodbine Road where the pavements and road are still a mess. I have requested Bridgemere Drive be looked at urgently. Please get in touch if you have serious problems on your street. Council staff are stillworking really hard and I know many people feel not enough is being done to clear the side streets, but this is taking place as quickly as possible.
Council Update:
Friday 8th
A largely dry but cold evening before the snow showers commenced. Snow showers started around 2230 and then on and off throughout the night. Around 5cm in Coastal areas, 8 – 10cm in Central areas and 3cm in Low Pennines. The snow in Low Pennines was from shower between 0500 and 0600 with only very slight dusting before. Min Road Surface Temperature (RST’s)-8
Ploughing continued throughout with salting undertaken on Class A & B roads to conserve stocks. In addition to the 36 front line gritters, additional trailer gritters and tractor ploughs have been used this morning. 2 snow blowers will continue in the Weardale.
Saturday 9th
Forecast
Cold and windy this afternoon with a lot of cloud and mostly light snow flurries. Tonight it will stay windy with occasional mostly light snow showers, these perhaps turning sleety towards the coast later in the night as temperatures rise a little. RSTs below zero with widespread ice. Cold and windy tomorrow morning occasional light snow showers, perhaps sleety towards the coast.
Snow amounts are 1-3cm in Pennine areas. 1cm possible elsewhere. Some of the lying snow likely to drift in the wind in Pennine areas.
Actions for remainder of day and tonight –
Shifts to continue and all routes to be patrolled/ploughed as necessary with salt treatment only on class A & B roads
Some success with the tractor ploughs and trailer gritters in the estate roads improving access/egress for residents and allowing refuse collection to be carried out this weekend and next week.
40 men in teams will be filling salt bins throughout the day and remainder of weekend.
Footway clearance continues with substantial resource, particularly in the Town Centres.
Road Closures
Some drifting in exposed areas took place last night and the strong winds will continue today. All roads open except those shown below. Most of these should be open today but are likely to close again tonight.
C20 Meadows Edge
C77 West Blackdene to Rookhope
C78 North of Westgate
C16.2 Rookhope to Blanchland
The C28 Swinhope is unlikely to be open fully open today but efforts will be made to open it as far as Weardale Ski Club
Summary for next 2 – 5 days
The cold will not be quite so severe in the coming few days, but RSTs still below zero by night and at times by day. Patchy light snow is likely tomorrow and tomorrow night, perhaps with a few heavier bursts before the end of Sunday night on higher parts. Monday and Tuesday will be overcast and raw with occasional light rain or snow. The rain most likely near the coast and on lowest ground elsewhere, but with the risk of it freezing on frozen surfaces. Often rather windy as well. Tuesday night through to Thursday will see an increased risk of more widespread sleet and snow showers returning, although lowest parts will have rain mixed in as well.
Salt
Reducing the treated network to Class A & B roads has had a positive impact on salt usage and preserving salt stocks. Nationally all local authorities have been asked to reduce their salt usage by 25% to preserve stocks. In Durham, the measures taken earlier in the week means that we have already achieved this.
Emergency Services
We are in constant contact with the emergency services regarding access difficulties and up to present there have been few of these.