Relief for gritters as Beast from the East departs
They are the unsung heroes who have worked tirelessly to keep the roads going .
Today, with the Beast from the East sent packing, gritting teams in Telford, Shropshire and Powys can return to some sort of normality.
Today’s temperature is 16C warmer than it was at the end of last week. The freeze was made even more intense by a wind chill that whipped in at a right angle.
With the thaw comes the chance for schools and public transport to get back to a normal routine.
It is also an opportunity for gritting depots across the region to literally take stock and reflect on a challenging week.
Dominic Proud, service delivery manager for Highways, Transport and Engineering Services at Telford & Wrekin Council, is among the people at the heart of the operation.
He said: “This one has been completely different to the cold snap in December.
"That was wet and heavy snow, we had trees collapsing, and the amount down was phenomenal. But the snow was easy to clear.
“This one, with the wind and the fine, dusty snow, drifting has been the biggest issue.
"We haven’t had an awful amount of snow, but the wind has made visibility almost impossible.”
He said planning has been important part of making sure that motorists are kept safe – but sometimes it takes snap decisions on the road.
“We get the forecast for the next 24 hours, and then for two to five days ahead,” Dominic said.
“We’re always looking ahead.
“As early on as the weekend before, we were gearing up to make sure everybody was on standby, that the vans were stocked and that we were prepared for everything.
“The uncertainty of the forecasts means that we could have prepared and nothing happens, and the early part of last week was business as usual.
"As things start to develop, you draw on the resources as you need them. You’re prepared and react to things on the ground.”
The grit – or road salt as Telford & Wrekin Council uses – helps to lower the temperature at which water freezes.
Gritting teams are likely to return to the roads at night, with temperatures in rural areas dipping to freezing.
But for most of us it will be a welcome return to weather more normally expected for March, with plenty of rain around but temperatures up to 10C (50F) by next weekend.
The snow has meant a weekend of fun for some, including pupils from Morda Primary School who were among the few who actually attended lessons on Friday.
But the latest challenge for many will now be the prospect of burst pipes. Those to suffer include Bridgnorth Cliff Railway, which had to close for a short time on Friday.
Its chairman Dr Malvern Tipping praised staff who worked tirelessly to restrict the damage in an office and get the railway open again by 4pm the same day.
Dr Tipping said: “I was amazed to receive a telephone call from the general manager advising me that he expected the cliff railway to open after the necessary safety checks had been carried out.
“I had anticipated that the cliff railway would be closed for a few days. I wish to thank those members of staff who pulled out all the stops to enable us to reopen so quickly. I especially wish to thank Angela Thomas who set to with mop and bucket in the office.”
Severn Trent today said it was working around the clock to deal with leaking pipes.
Steve Witter, head of leakage operations for Severn Trent, explains: “With a huge increase in the number of leaks and bursts due to the recent freezing weather, we’re asking our customers to report any leaks as soon as possible so we can fix them fast.
“When water freezes within a pipe it expands, putting more pressure on the pipes and joints, often causing pipes to split or joints to pull apart, and then when it thaws the water will start to leak out.”
