Drivers urged to give gritters space, as snowfall causes disruption
Planes, buses and roads have all been affected by the overnight snowfall
Last updated 8th Mar 2023
Parts of the South West are waking up to snowfall, with drivers across the region urged to be careful this morning because of ice.
A Met Office Yellow Weather warning remains in force for snow and ice, with some roads blocked, bus services suspended and some flights delayed at Bristol Airport.
Wiltshire, Dorset and parts of Somerset have all seen some snowfall overnight. You can find the latest traffic and travel here
This morning National Highways are urging drivers to ' give gritting vehicles time and space' which follows their recent 'Know the Zones' campaign to help road users understand the blind spots HGV drivers face from passing and overtaking vehicles.
In a recent survey commissioned by National Highways, while nearly three quarters of people said they take extra care when overtaking a HGV, 36 per cent said they did not know how many blind spots a HGV had. Thirty-six per cent also admitted feeling nervous when passing trucks.
National Highways manages 4,500 miles of A-roads and motorways and can call upon around 530 gritters in extreme weather conditions.
Darren Clark, Severe Weather Resilience Manager at National Highways, said: “As our gritting teams go out to spread salt on the roads, our message is simple to all road users: ‘Please be patient and give us the time and space to do what we need to do to keep you safe.
“If you are going to pass us, please do so courteously, pass us safely and legally, or even better, if you are able to stay back, you will actually help the salt on the road activate even more quickly by crushing and breaking it into the road surface which benefits everyone.
“It’s worth remembering too, we are not gritting all the time. Some of our fleet may come off at particular junctions or return to depots while other vehicles take over, lowering any
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “This latest cold snap may be towards the end of the winter season but it still has the potential to cause travel disruption, no matter how short-lived.
"The weather warning is for widespread snow showers, so please keep an eye on the forecast and check local news bulletins before travelling overnight on Tuesday and on Wednesday morning.
Dale Hipkiss, national network manager at National Highways, urged people to pack extra provisions in vehicles in case they become stranded.
"Keeping a kit of essential items like a torch and warm clothes, in your vehicle, can be vital in case you and your passengers become stranded in winter," he said.
"Freezing conditions bring so many hazards, such as snow and ice, and take every possible step to understand your journey in advance and allow lots of extra time when travelling to prepare for the unexpected."
The Met Office also warned that ice will be an additional hazard through the week as regions experience sub-zero temperatures.
In some sheltered Scottish glens, temperatures had been expected to drop as low as minus 15C overnight on Tuesday.
The UK Health and Security Agency has issued a Level 3 Cold Weather Alert for the whole of England.
The agency's head of extreme events and health protection, Dr Agostinho Sousa, said people should check on vulnerable relatives and told pensioners and anyone with an underlying health condition to heat their home to at least 18C.