Drivers warned to take care on the roads following snowfall
4:40pm Monday 21st January 2013 in Local
GRITTERS were out in force today to keep Bolton’s streets safe but officials are warning drivers to beware of black ice.
Much snow has fallen today which has led to further school closures and worsening conditions on the road.
But a Met Office spokeswoman said the borough received less snow than the rest of the country due to its proximity to the Pennines leading some critics to accuse companies and schools of over-reacting.
Hundreds of people are said to have taken a snow day today. Attendances have fallen at companies across the borough which will have had economic ramifications. Others will have been forced to stay off work to look after their children.
The Met Office did not have figures for how much snow had fallen in the borough, but its closest monitoring station in North Staffordshire reported depths of 7cm.
The Met Office predicted light snowfall in Bolton today, between noon and 6pm, with temperatures expected to fall to -2C, and no more snow expected for the rest of the week with temperatures rising to a maximum of 1C tomorrow.
Cllr David Chadwick, Bolton Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “I’m pleased that our gritting teams have done a fantastic job over the weekend keeping all the main roads clear.
“They’ve been out in the evening and into the early hours just to make sure that the roads are safe.
“We’ve had a number of complimentary remarks on Twitter and the consensus is that they’ve done a fantastic job.”
He added: “The forecast was for a more substantial amount than we got, but that’s always the problem with snow and you just have to take what’s thrown at you.”
Cllr Chadwick said the council would be monitoring the situation using information from the Manchester Weather Centre and road-based sensors which monitor ground conditions.
Edmund King, president of the AA, warned of people driving so-called "snowman cars" by not clearing off the piles of snow on top of their vehicles before getting behind the wheel.
He said: "Drivers must clear the snow off their windscreens, lights and tops of their cars before setting out. This morning we have spotted lots of 'snowman cars', which are cars driving along with piles of snow on their tops.
"I saw one sports car this morning on the M3 with almost a snowman of its roof but the dangerous thing was that it was being followed by a motorcycle. The hardened snow could have been a real hazard, had it fallen off in the path of the motorcycle.
"We have also seen drivers peering out of small openings on their windscreen as if they were driving a tank. The other issue is the number of cars with their lights and indicators compacted with hardened snow.
"Drivers need to take a broom to clear excess snow off their vehicles before setting out."
He also advised motorists to stick to main roads where grit and extra traffic has helped keep the ice away.
Comments are closed on this article.

Comments (60)
8:50am Mon 21 Jan 13
magic dragon says...
8:50am Mon 21 Jan 13
Hulton Park says...
"The Met OFFice predicts light snowfall in Bolton today, between noon and 6pm."
Time to resort to that most reliable of weather indicators- look out of the window!
9:09am Mon 21 Jan 13
Lulu15 says...
9:14am Mon 21 Jan 13
georgethebrave says...
9:14am Mon 21 Jan 13
georgethebrave says...
9:31am Mon 21 Jan 13
magic dragon says...
9:51am Mon 21 Jan 13
Lulu15 says...
9:53am Mon 21 Jan 13
Rememberscarborough says...
10:05am Mon 21 Jan 13
magic dragon says...
10:07am Mon 21 Jan 13
Maxine2 says...
10:15am Mon 21 Jan 13
Phil from Smithills says...
10:16am Mon 21 Jan 13
macauley says...
10:16am Mon 21 Jan 13
macauley says...
10:21am Mon 21 Jan 13
saj70n says...
10:27am Mon 21 Jan 13
MarkAllRead says...
10:50am Mon 21 Jan 13
magic dragon says...
10:56am Mon 21 Jan 13
Colinweb says...
12:16pm Mon 21 Jan 13
daveace says...
12:20pm Mon 21 Jan 13
Paypwip says...
12:47pm Mon 21 Jan 13
cliff4treasurer says...
It's called ability Mark,drive at less than 20 on a slippy road ok then alter your speed according to the road conditions,some people set off in there ungritted streets at a snails pace ,fair enough, then continue at a snails pace all the way to work.Driving along a clear (NO SNOW NO ICE) St Peters way included.
If you are frighetened of your car stay off the roads
1:05pm Mon 21 Jan 13
aardwolf says...
1:17pm Mon 21 Jan 13
Albinosupport says...
1:18pm Mon 21 Jan 13
Albinosupport says...
1:50pm Mon 21 Jan 13
ke1979 says...
1:54pm Mon 21 Jan 13
Maxine2 says...
2:18pm Mon 21 Jan 13
magic dragon says...
It's great to see that some of us can see the bigger picture and not just moan.
3:07pm Mon 21 Jan 13
davoovad says...
3:31pm Mon 21 Jan 13
Rememberscarborough says...
4:14pm Mon 21 Jan 13
Count de Monet says...
4:58pm Mon 21 Jan 13
Marzi30 says...
5:12pm Mon 21 Jan 13
Angela1969 says...
But I must admit the council workers have worked so hard to keep the roads clear ... Hats off to them ..well done lads and lasses !
5:14pm Mon 21 Jan 13
davoovad says...
5:17pm Mon 21 Jan 13
Angela1969 says...
5:17pm Mon 21 Jan 13
Angela1969 says...
5:22pm Mon 21 Jan 13
davoovad says...
7:16pm Mon 21 Jan 13
Rememberscarborough says...
7:17pm Mon 21 Jan 13
ohboltonweloveu says...
click & paste this in your browser and see a good council road clearing job... SEE BELOW
... could this ever be belmont in the future of bolton gritters... ERRRRR nope ... just love the pics of boltons pathetic dusting dusting then this pic ...
Have a look ......
http://www.sadacanad
a.com/amazing-paths-
and-roads/awesome-cu
rved-snow-road-amazi
ng-paths-and-roads-p
ictures
7:19pm Mon 21 Jan 13
ohboltonweloveu says...
a.com/amazing-paths-
and-roads/awesome-cu
rved-snow-road-amazi
ng-paths-and-roads-p
ictures
7:29pm Mon 21 Jan 13
ohboltonweloveu says...
7:50pm Mon 21 Jan 13
BWFC71 says...
Belmont came under Turton until 1974 and currently it is part of Blackburn With Darwen and the inbetween period was under Lancashire County Council (which we weren't!)
7:51pm Mon 21 Jan 13
RIPPEDOFFTAXPAYER says...
7:55pm Mon 21 Jan 13
BWFC71 says...
I would never sign the waver as its my perogative that I want to work less than 48 hours in a week and have a life outside work and be taxed normally without extra earnings being taxed even more.....
Meanwhile back on topic - the council workers are not enslaved to one party or another as they are just workers and they ahve done a cracking job, so far but they do need to concentrate on making sure bus routes are clear, as well as main roads!!!!
8:48pm Mon 21 Jan 13
ALI MINIUM KHAN says...
9:00am Tue 22 Jan 13
magic dragon says...
Also as much as we would like it, the weather doesn't work a mon to fri week and if the workers get paid extra for giving up their family time, then they deserve it.
1:34pm Tue 22 Jan 13
Jenny_Taylia says...
1:57pm Tue 22 Jan 13
boltonnut says...
hers got paid to take a day off work,thats enjoyable.Truth be known I bet even cllr.Morris even enjoyed it, no work today,as usual.
2:02pm Tue 22 Jan 13
BOLTON&PROUD says...
7:14pm Tue 22 Jan 13
Beyond News Forum says...
Having said that the torn up surfaces all over Bolton do a good job of gritting themselves with loose chippings.
More loose chippings signs please Mr. Morris. Oops no chance of that.
7:16pm Tue 22 Jan 13
Beyond News Forum says...
9:56pm Tue 22 Jan 13
judyben says...
10:00pm Tue 22 Jan 13
judyben says...
10:02pm Tue 22 Jan 13
macauley says...
11:31am Wed 23 Jan 13
judyben says...
11:32am Wed 23 Jan 13
judyben says...
10:59am Fri 25 Jan 13
Beyond News Forum says...
Are my eyes deceiving me?
Clearly we are in for a torrid time over the next couple of hours with every weather outlet suggesting up to 5cm of snow in the Bolton area.
We have an 'Amber' alert on that crazy MET OFFICE radar.
I'm totally baffled!
I suggest the BN get a hold of the much better and more truthful weather widget over at weather.com
11:04am Fri 25 Jan 13
Beyond News Forum says...
http://www.metoffice
.gov.uk/weather/uk/u
k_forecast_warnings.
html
Weather.com
FURTHER SNOWFALL WILL SPREAD FROM THE WEST, AS ANOTHER WEATHER FRONT MOVES EASTWARDS ACROSS THE UK. SNOW WILL REACH PARTS OF SCOTLAND DURING FRIDAY MORNING, AND EASTERN PARTS OF ENGLAND DURING THE LATE EVENING, LIKELY TO CLEAR THESE EASTERN AREAS BY THE EARLY HOURS OF SATURDAY. 4 TO 8 CM IS LIKELY QUITE WIDELY WITHIN THE AMBER WARNING AREA, WITH A LOW RISK OF MORE THAN 10 CM LOCALLY EVEN ON LOWER GROUND. FURTHER NORTH, ACCUMULATIONS OF 10 TO 20 CM MAY OCCUR IN SOME UPLAND AREAS. STRONG WINDS WILL ALSO LEAD TO DRIFTING AND BLIZZARD-LIKE CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY OVER HIGHER LEVEL ROADS IN THE NORTH.
THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR LIKELY DISRUPTION, PARTICULARLY TO TRAVEL.
ISSUED BY THE MET OFFICE AT 12:33 ON THURSDAY, 24TH JANUARY 2013
VALID FROM 11:00 ON FRIDAY, 25TH JANUARY 2013
UNTIL 02:00 ON SATURDAY, 26TH JANUARY 2013
FOR MORE DETAILS PLEASE GO TO:
HTTP://WWW.METOFFICE
.GOV.UK/PUBLIC/WEATH
ER/WARNINGS
8:51pm Fri 25 Jan 13
ALI MINIUM KHAN says...
3:47pm Sat 26 Jan 13
judyben says...
8:57pm Sun 27 Jan 13
ohboltonweloveu says...
i saw 3 griters ,,no ploughs used .in Deep snow . you set of bone heads...did you witness all the abondoned cars ,,, i did driving on them Dangerous roads at 5am ....yes some people still have to go to work the next day ..
your boss should be sacked by 5pm monday ,,, the idiot ..
seriously how many times do you need to Learn how to cope ?
9:07pm Sun 27 Jan 13
ohboltonweloveu says...