GL88 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Our local Council (Hertfordshire) ran out of salt earlier this week. Now we've had another three inches of snow overnight onto roads that were already marginal. In 30 years driving I have never known the roads as slippery. It is that wet snow that compacts to a fairly hard packed lethally wet dense layer with snow on top. And with no salt even the main roads are affected. The inevitable result is total chaos where I live (Harpenden) and even in the Defender it takes care not to spin on tight turns at 5mph. Normal cars can't get up the mildest hills and I saw one new BMW repeatedly step sideways into a railing each time the driver tried to move away from the side of the road. Even walking is difficult. So if you fancy a spot of towing you know where to head, but take care and you'll probably need a shovel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 OK This from Yahoo News 1 1/2 hours ago: But Hertfordshire County Council, one of the councils which said stocks were running low, said it was seeking additional supplies from abroad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Same story here in Wiltshire, no sign of gritting anywhere other than the A303 this morning. I do not think that there is a shortage of rocksalt in the UK, simply that the council depots have insufficient in stock for the conditions and they cannot all have more at once down to the logistics. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellow Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 they cannot all have more at once down to the logistics. I hope you do not mean that the suppliers are snowed in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeagent Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 much the same story we we live (Gravesend in kent) the council were way to slow to react on Sunday evening, and there are still many roads which have not seen a grain of salt since this bout of bad weather began... I understand stocks are running low, and thats why they've only done the bigger main roads. I reckon the whole system needs a bit of a rethink, as it doesn't seem to work at the moment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I get the impression you guys actually like salt on the roads? I'd be a happy puppy if they stopped polluting everything with the damn rust-inducers! Not only would it be mucht better for the environment AND our Landies, I'm not sure it actually helps a lot. Beginning of January, we had snow for about a week. We live in a small, dead-end street that hadn't been gritted, was fine all week long. On friday, the salt-truck must have been bored and decided to visit us as well. So instead of nice, packed snow, we got semi-frozen slush and SWMBO almost ended up in the ditch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty_wingnut Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 the road near my station was salted, but still had 2" of ice and a further 8" or snow on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven Hart Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I get the impression you guys actually like salt on the roads?I'd be a happy puppy if they stopped polluting everything with the damn rust-inducers! Not only would it be mucht better for the environment AND our Landies, I'm not sure it actually helps a lot. Beginning of January, we had snow for about a week. We live in a small, dead-end street that hadn't been gritted, was fine all week long. On friday, the salt-truck must have been bored and decided to visit us as well. So instead of nice, packed snow, we got semi-frozen slush and SWMBO almost ended up in the ditch. Yes and it might put a few more people of travelling unnecessary to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Same story here in Wiltshire, no sign of gritting anywhere other than the A303 this morning. Glad we could be of service Chris!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 No snow here anymore in devon but i am amazedthat council didnt provision for this weather, its been expected for a long time. GL88 - i grew up in harpenden, small world!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashtrans Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 GL88 - i grew up in harpenden, small world!!! So did I !, now in Wheathampstead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Glad we could be of service Chris!! ;) I guessed it might have been your people not the local CC. Please send the boys up the road from Frome through Maiden Bradley to the A303 too. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landmannnn Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Run out of salt.. Schools closed for health and safety reasons.. Trains not running... London buses not running.. All down to one reason IMHO, the staff decide not to go to work "because it is snowing". Pathetic excuses from the local authorities because their staff are in bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Pathetic excuses from the local authorities because their staff are in bed. Yes, and from what I have heard of the management of local authorities, I would absolutely do the same. Any excuse to stay in bed. If this government is to sort itself out, it needs to make its workforce valued and appreciated. I don't blame them for staying in bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I for one would be very wary of driving a duoble deck bus or any bus in that sort of weather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 nothing scarier than driving a bendy bus (you know, the ones that spew death, suck in cyclists and kill children) in snow, slowly round a right hand bend and finding that you can only see the trailer in the LH mirror- especially since the engine and driving axle are in the trailer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboy Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Run out of salt..Schools closed for health and safety reasons.. Trains not running... London buses not running.. All down to one reason IMHO, the staff decide not to go to work "because it is snowing". Pathetic excuses from the local authorities because their staff are in bed. I read this last night and decided not to reply as it was half way down the page and I hope it would disappear. THAT I'm soory to say is an ignorant attitude. We now live in a country where kids stone the emergency services, where doctors and nurses get assaulted and manners seem to be a thing of the past. So, lets turn everyone against the snowplugh drivers shall we? My mate who was out ploughing the A9 all day yesterday wasn't "in his bed". Him, and his colleagues in the Highland Region do a hell of a job for not enough money, and for little thanks. A common problem is that people sit in their warm living rooms, look out the window and see nice blue skies and fluffy clouds but fail to appreciate that 20 miles up the road, at a different exposed altitude, the weather and temperature can be completely different therefore assume it is because the local council / road clearing authority / contractor "can't be bothered". I can promise you from 20 years of first hand experience that is seldom the case and the vast majority of these guys really have to earn every penny they get. Rant over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tear it up Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Totally agree with the above. I work for the highways agency and they have had the gritters out every day on the M4, A34 trying to clear the backlog of snow with the ploughs and trying to use minimal amount of salt. It's all well and good for you to think that the local authorities are sat back doing nothing when the truth of the matter is that the highways take priority over local authorities as they share the same salt supplies. So would you rather have slippy back roads or multiple fatalities on the motorways? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landowner Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Councils had insufficient stocks of salt, that is the problem. I used to deliver salt in the sixties from Winsford to local authorities and they all stocked up in Sept, Oct and were prepared for anything. Now we wait until things go wrong before we fix it. I also used to drive old artics (60's models) on packed snow and ice. There were grit boxes at the side of the road on most hills and you had to get out of your vehicle and use your shovel not wait for someone to come and help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Councils had insufficient stocks of salt, that is the problem.I used to deliver salt in the sixties from Winsford to local authorities and they all stocked up in Sept, Oct and were prepared for anything. Now we wait until things go wrong before we fix it. I also used to drive old artics (60's models) on packed snow and ice. There were grit boxes at the side of the road on most hills and you had to get out of your vehicle and use your shovel not wait for someone to come and help you. I suspect that councils do not want to over spend their budgets in September on salt for the roads which might not be needed now that budgets are so tight. After all, they have young offenders to send on holiday and all sorts. Any number of artics and rigids stuck in the Deverills this morning, unable to climb hills - along with some cars, absolutely dreadful, yet 25 miles away in Yeovil there is almost no sign of snow. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgnas Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 On Monday we had 10-12" of snow and a stranded artic at work. The driver and 2 of our guys hand cleared nearly 400m2. Did the bus drivers clear their yard or make snowmen and play snowballs? And all those moaning their pavement and side road has not been cleared, get a shovel call your neighbours and get on with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8CAMEL Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I suspect that councils do not want to over spend their budgets in September on salt for the roads which might not be needed now that budgets are so tight. After all, they have young offenders to send on holiday and all sorts. Any number of artics and rigids stuck in the Deverills this morning, unable to climb hills - along with some cars, absolutely dreadful, yet 25 miles away in Yeovil there is almost no sign of snow. Chris yet they still closed the local school in sherborne because the teachers didnt turn up due to the weather it would appear that now we no longer live and work locally and all commute the system collapses. though saying that the motorway home from westmidlands last night was very empty and i got home about 10 mins earlier than normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwardatherton Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 The company I work for have loads of the white salt available, and we have been in all weekend trying to sort out supplies to the authorities as the stocks at Winsford are very low. As of lunchtime Friday we haven't been able to get answers or orders from authorities because everyone is at home. It took several days to get a minor tacho exemption from the govt because the person who had to approve it was abroad and they couldn't contact him... A planning restriction is currently stopping us moving salt out of storage in Staffordshire at the weekend and after 6PM weekdays. The Highways Agency have taken over movement of salt out of Winsford and only managed to move less than a quarter of the salt that the mine regularly shift each day. We are trying to sell salt, and obviously as a company we are not doing this at a loss, but the government/councils shutting on a Friday afternoon without leaving anyone to make a decision doesn't help! 11000T coming in on two boats won't go far when 75000T can potentially be used across the country each week. If anyone here works for a council and want supplying it can be arranged quickly. Email me with contact details! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 yet they still closed the local school in sherborne because the teachers didnt turn up due to the weather My daughter's school was closed on Thursday and Friday but was open Mon/Tue when lots of others in West Wilts were closed. This is because the HM sent the mini-busses out to collect any teacher claiming inability to travel. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardAllen Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 My neighbour here in rural Gloucestershire told me that they used to give farmers snowplough attachments for their tractors and pay them a small amount to clear local minor roads (often steep around here) of snow. This allowed the council to concentrate on trunk roads and motorways. Then they cut costs and took all the snowplough back. Does that mean that there is a shed full of old snowplough attachments somewhere, or did they just cut them up for scrap ? Anyone had a go at fixing one to a Defender ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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