Gritting the Roads

[Easy 10]

I just wonder how much damage the snow chains are causing to the road surfaces.

The road surfaces are knackered anyway. You could house a medium sized family of Lebanese asylum seekers in some of the potholes around Haywards Heath.

 

[Trigger]

Coming up in the next race at Lingfield, 3.30, is a horse called GRIT.

Ironic.

Get on!

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Coming up in the next race at Lingfield, 3.30, is a horse called GRIT.

is that True ?

 

[Trigger]

is that True ?

It was, it was leading as well... And then it wasn't leading...

First time it's run since Sept 08 so probably a little rusty, maybe next time!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

is that True ?

Yep.

And there's a horse called EXPENSIVE PROBLEM running in the 4.00.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I very nearly went with Sedgewick in that race, instead choosing to go with the money on the runner up.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

The point I would make is that this hasn't been a particularly severe winter. In Sussex, we've had a couple of short-lived freezes and minor snowfalls.

Brighton & Hove City Council have failed to deal adequately with major routes in the city. In contrast, the trunk road has been kept in a safe and usable condition. And East Sussex County Council have been out gritting side roads to small villages like Glynde, keeping them safe and clear of snow.

It is disingenuous of the City Council to hide behind a general argument about "exceptional circumstances" and "severe winters". These are not exceptional circumstances, we are having a bog standard cold spell and Lewes Road isn't being dealt with.

The City Council is FAILING.

Lord B - you may be in a position to confirm this but the rumour is that B&HCC used a lot of their supplies for 'vanity gritting' - hand gritting (the most expensive and ineffective option) some areas of the City so the politicians don't get as much grief as they did before Christmas. Having done this and used up a lot of their grit supply, they have been begging other Councils for more supplies as they are running out. Now that the Salt Cell has been implemented by the Government, it's only going to get worse in the City over the next few days.

 

[CHAPPERS]

The city council gritted Natal Road by the university about 5 days late in December, when the ice had melted and loads of cars had already been stuck for days and a few had slid and span all the way down. f***ing spoons.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Lord B - you may be in a position to confirm this but the rumour is that B&HCC used a lot of their supplies for 'vanity gritting' - hand gritting (the most expensive and ineffective option) some areas of the City so the politicians don't get as much grief as they did before Christmas. Having done this and used up a lot of their grit supply, they have been begging other Councils for more supplies as they are running out. Now that the Salt Cell has been implemented by the Government, it's only going to get worse in the City over the next few days.

I don't know.

But I would be interested to hear how Dyke Road Avenue has been looking over the past few days.

HB&B?

 

[desprateseagull]

i dont think the council / highways agy etc can really cope with all the snow that is around,,

so i will be getting a few neighbours together tomorrow, and trying our best to lcear at least the pavements along our own road, so people can get to the shops..

even if they might have sold out!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Can't speak for Brighton but in Burgess Hill they appear to be coping a lot better this time than last. The town centre pavements have been cleared of snow this time, unlike pre-Christmas when it was left to form an ice rink.

And the gritting still appears to be going on around the clock. I know people moan they don't see them, but I was outside at about half four this morning and I saw two passing, treating the roads.

Like CF, I see no point in investing millions, at least not around here, on a fleet of snow ploughs for the rare occasions we get snow of this magnitude. In County Durham, or Cumbria or Yorkshire, maybe, but I can't even remember when we last had snow like this, so it hardly seems worth it, for a few days inconvenience every few years.

 

[desprateseagull]

the 'inconvenience' people mention far outweighs the cost of a plough, i am sure.. could idle farm machines be used / adapted?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

The myth that other countries are so much better at coping with snow...

...absolute arse. They have problems, same as we do (from the BBC).

Germany prepares to face blizzard


German households have been advised to stock up on food, medicines and drinking water as the nation braces for a blizzard that is heading its way.

Germany's Civil Protection Office (BBK) says heavy snowfalls expected on Saturday could trigger local power cuts and severely disrupt public transport.

The snow is already more than 30cm (one foot) deep on the isle of Ruegen, off Germany's Baltic coast, ZDF TV says.

In Switzerland, heavy snow has cut the flow of lorries through Alpine tunnels.

The busy Gotthard and San Bernardino tunnels were temporarily closed to heavy goods vehicles on Friday, the Swissinfo news website reported.

Snowdrifts

Gale-force winds and drifting snow are expected to bring traffic to a standstill in many parts of Germany.

Measures are being taken to protect the homeless from the weather
The German authorities say the situation is exacerbated by shortages of grit for clearing roads.

Airports have called in extra staff and rail operators have warned of delays.

Households have been advised to keep three or four days' worth of provisions, including alternative cooking fuel in case of power cuts. Among the essential items listed by the BBK is a battery-powered radio, for checking weather reports.

Spreading south

In the UK, the worst winter for decades has led to a fear for energy supplies as temperatures dropped to -22C (-8F).

"What is being forecast for the weekend could lead to chaotic traffic conditions and potentially leave large parts of Germany completely paralysed," warned the Auto Club Europa.

In cities like Duesseldorf, Red Cross workers were setting up heated tents for emergency accommodation as up to 10 homeless people have frozen to death in recent weeks because of the cold weather.

In the Netherlands, icebreakers have been deployed to clear shipping routes such as the Twente canal, the harbours of Almelo and Enschede and the Ijsselmeer inland sea.

Northern Spain is expecting more heavy snowfalls while the country's south has been hit by severe floods.

France is also braced for more snow. Meteo France warned: "The amount of snow expected is significant, exceptional even".

Parts of France - notably the south-western region of Provence - are without power and suffering transport delays after up to 20cm of snow fell in recent days.

 

[The Oldman]

Like CF, I see no point in investing millions, at least not around here, on a fleet of snow ploughs for the rare occasions we get snow of this magnitude. In County Durham, or Cumbria or Yorkshire, maybe, but I can't even remember when we last had snow like this, so it hardly seems worth it, for a few days inconvenience every few years.

Edna. Inconvenience? Tell that to 3 of my neighbours now in Eastbourne DGH waiting to have their broken hips dealt with.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Edna. Inconvenience? Tell that to 3 of my neighbours now in Eastbourne DGH waiting to have their broken hips dealt with.

I know what you're saying, but the pavements rarely get gritted anyway, and even if they do, it doesn't work in the same way as it does on the roads. As I understand it, the action of the vehicles driving over the salt grinds it up and spreads it out thus preventing freezing, whereas pedestrians don't have the same effect unless there are loads of people.

 

[newhaven seagull 85]

I have seen about 3 lorries driving down the A272 into Haywards Heath all had snow plough things on the front and a full back of salt/grit whatever but none of them had the spinner on to spray the salt/grit on to the road what is the point of carrying the stuff and not using it. Is it West Sussex Council that is responsible in Haywards Heath.

i heard on the radio that they do not use the grit spinner whilst using the snow plough,also that grit does not work very well on temperatures below -5

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

I just wonder how much damage the snow chains are causing to the road surfaces.

Snow chains are alright when there is layer of compacted snow or ice on top of the road surface , the real damage is done when this melts and turns to slush ensuring the chains knacker the tarmac (causing water ingress) so potholes appear very quickly.

 

[Martinf]

The point I would make is that this hasn't been a particularly severe winter. In Sussex, we've had a couple of short-lived freezes and minor snowfalls.

Brighton & Hove City Council have failed to deal adequately with major routes in the city. In contrast, the trunk road has been kept in a safe and usable condition. And East Sussex County Council have been out gritting side roads to small villages like Glynde, keeping them safe and clear of snow.

It is disingenuous of the City Council to hide behind a general argument about "exceptional circumstances" and "severe winters". These are not exceptional circumstances, we are having a bog standard cold spell and Lewes Road isn't being dealt with.

The City Council is FAILING.

Mr B. Please come back to the County Council! You've got a job in our comms team should you want it!

 

[spunkmonkey]

If you are in West Sussex they have allegedly run out of grit. I understand Crawley Borough Council had to hold an emergency meeting for this very reason yesterday. I think that could be a little bit of a problem!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Mr B. Please come back to the County Council! You've got a job in our comms team should you want it!

Thanks. But if you want folk returning to the councils where they used to work, I would suggest that getting Alan McCarthy back into the City Council would be more valuable than getting me back to County Hall.