Gritting lorry overturns as freezing rain turns roads "into ice rink" (From Thisisdorset)
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Gritting lorry overturns as freezing rain turns roads "into ice rink"
8:04am Wednesday 12th December 2012 in News
Studland Road
MOTORISTS are being warned to take extra care on Dorset’s roads this morning due to icy conditions.
A gritter lorry overturned on the B3351 Studland Road near to Purbeck Golf Course early this morning, shedding its load across the carriageway.
The road was closed both ways while the grit was cleaned up but other roads in the area may be ungritted because of this incident.
A car overturned in Little Lonnen Road, near Wimborne - and then the recovery vehicle sent to rescue it also got stuck and had to be rescued. Residents said the area was very icy, especially in the recently resurfaced Sandy Lane.
The top level of the Castlepoint car park was closed because of black ice until 9.15 am.
Ling Road in Poole was closed southbound due to ice. Echo readers are reporting that roads in Parkstone and Poole are especially icy, with footpaths in Parkstone described as an "ice rink". Some are said to be unusable with pedestrians walking in the road for "safety".
Where's been been gritted, weather warnings and latest news in our weather section
Dorset Police say they have already had a number of phone calls regarding the state of the roads due to the heavy overnight frost and say conditions are “treacherous” in some areas.
They are advising motorists to leave ample time to get to their destinations and to make sure windows on vehicles are clear before setting off.
Rural parts of Dorset are particularly bad, thanks to freezing rain which fell after the first round of gritting last night.
Gritting lorries did their first round at 2pm yesterday. The Met Office weather warning for ice and freezing rain - a very rare phenomenon which sees rain or snow "supercooled" as it falls so that it freezes on contact with the ground - was not issued until 10.30pm and county council gritters were out continuously from 12.30am.
Bmth's main network of roads have been gritted this morning, but please do take extreme care on footpaths and side roads.
— Bournemouth Council (@bournemouthbc) December 12, 2012
Gritters were sent out again in Bournemouth and Dorset around 9.30am as ice was still causing a problem across the county.
Simon Legg, streetscene manager, Borough of Poole, said: “Our gritters were out from 7pm on Tuesday evening and this year we have treated more roads than in previous years."
“The moisture in the air combined with the cold temperatures last night has led to icy conditions on the roads but we are prioritising gritting requests during the day and will be gritting roads again this evening if the weather conditions don’t improve.”
Let us know what it's like where you are in the comments, or by emailing sam.shepherd@bournemouthecho.co.uk.
Comments(40)
speedy231278
says...
9:23am Wed 12 Dec 12
Parkstonegal
says...
9:41am Wed 12 Dec 12
speedy231278 wrote:I don't think u realise how hard the council workers work! I know someone that does the gritting and they work alot of hours over this time and do there best!! Do you know how many miles of road there are in Dorset!!! Would love to see you do a better job!!
So, in other words, the gritters were sent out too late, AFTER it had iced, yet again, and as a result even a vehicle that ought to be set up sepcifically to cope with the potential of an icy road road has crashed. Just shows the contempt for motorists this council has. Quite happy to rake in a fortune in parking fines, but when it comes to spending money on the roads, it's always too little, too late....
ashleycross
says...
10:00am Wed 12 Dec 12
poolemaninscotland
says...
10:01am Wed 12 Dec 12
Adrian XX
says...
10:18am Wed 12 Dec 12
HRH of Boscombe
says...
10:25am Wed 12 Dec 12
Ebb Tide
says...
10:50am Wed 12 Dec 12
poolemaninscotland wrote:Guess our local Accident and Emergency services will have had extra work too because of the absence of appropriate care and attention by the inhabitants of Poole and the service providers that they employ and monitor through their elected Councillors !!!
Poole council should hang there heads in shame. Parkstone is an absolute nightmare on the roads and the pavements. No gritting has been carried out around Newtown and Alderney and the amount of people who have fallen over on the pavements in this area is disgraceful. I live on the top of a hill and requested a grit bin over a year ago and I didn't even get a reply to my email. Disgraceful is an understatement. Fuming
Sovietobserver
says...
10:56am Wed 12 Dec 12
iampuzzled
says...
11:03am Wed 12 Dec 12
So according to the Echo, ice is now an animate object?
Rather than ice just forming, it actually gets up to strike the roads and pavements but , strike with what (:o))
Repo
says...
11:17am Wed 12 Dec 12
Parkstonegal wrote:Wow! and they do it all for free ???
speedy231278 wrote:I don't think u realise how hard the council workers work! I know someone that does the gritting and they work alot of hours over this time and do there best!! Do you know how many miles of road there are in Dorset!!! Would love to see you do a better job!!
So, in other words, the gritters were sent out too late, AFTER it had iced, yet again, and as a result even a vehicle that ought to be set up sepcifically to cope with the potential of an icy road road has crashed. Just shows the contempt for motorists this council has. Quite happy to rake in a fortune in parking fines, but when it comes to spending money on the roads, it's always too little, too late....
Sovietobserver
says...
11:23am Wed 12 Dec 12
iampuzzled wrote:I was driving out of Immingham docks early yesterday on the A160 dual-carraigeway. The big continental truck in front of me suddenly started disposing large slabs of ice from its canvas roof. Most were hitting the road and flying in all directions, whilst I dodged them. Scary.So it does happen.
Headline says 'ice hits Dorset roads and pavements'.
So according to the Echo, ice is now an animate object?
Rather than ice just forming, it actually gets up to strike the roads and pavements but , strike with what (:o))
iampuzzled
says...
11:28am Wed 12 Dec 12
Thanks for that but the Echo said that the ice strikes were in Dorset (:o))
static kill
says...
11:30am Wed 12 Dec 12
iampuzzled
says...
11:34am Wed 12 Dec 12
I expect that the next thing to come from Europe is an 'Elf n Safty' rule which says that it will be illegal to use ANY vehicle in icy conditions (:o))
TinyLegacy
says...
11:40am Wed 12 Dec 12
HRH of Boscombe
says...
11:44am Wed 12 Dec 12
Parkstonegal wrote:What a load of rubbish. It's their job. They should just go out earlier to make sure it's covered before it freezes. Tell your mate the emergency services will now be working harder and risking their lives because the gritters couldn't be bothered to start a bit earlier.
speedy231278 wrote: So, in other words, the gritters were sent out too late, AFTER it had iced, yet again, and as a result even a vehicle that ought to be set up sepcifically to cope with the potential of an icy road road has crashed. Just shows the contempt for motorists this council has. Quite happy to rake in a fortune in parking fines, but when it comes to spending money on the roads, it's always too little, too late....I don't think u realise how hard the council workers work! I know someone that does the gritting and they work alot of hours over this time and do there best!! Do you know how many miles of road there are in Dorset!!! Would love to see you do a better job!!
Imaximus
says...
12:08pm Wed 12 Dec 12
B.F.G
says...
12:09pm Wed 12 Dec 12
ashleycross wrote:Haha, yes ok, sure.
if you have neighbours who deice their cars with water on their drives that then runs onto the pavement and freezes, please report them to the council as this ice amounts to an obstruction to the highway. Then I won't have slip up in the ice slides they've created.
Please can you let me know which department to report this issue to?
poolemaninscotland
says...
1:21pm Wed 12 Dec 12
TinyLegacy wrote:You try saying be a little bit more careful to the little old lady who fell on the icy pavements on Cynthia Road this morning and broke her hip in two places you complete Moron. I hope to god she wasnt related to you if this is how you think. The council take a huge amount of money every year off us taxpayers to provide a service and gritting is part of this. In Scotland they have little quad bikes with gritting trailers on the back that do every single pavement so there is no excuse. It is sheer incompetance and bad managemen5t by the Borough of Poole Council.
Why start pointing fingers and moaning? Take some responsibility people. Drive according to the conditions. If walking, just do it more carefully than usual... it's ice, not a crocodile infested pool.
Jenny PoshPaws
says...
1:28pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Phixer
says...
2:54pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Parkstonegal wrote:The issue is whether we are receiving the service we are paying for. No doubt there are plenty of other council staff that are capable of driving a gritter, given training, that could provide 24hr coverage.
speedy231278 wrote:I don't think u realise how hard the council workers work! I know someone that does the gritting and they work alot of hours over this time and do there best!! Do you know how many miles of road there are in Dorset!!! Would love to see you do a better job!!
So, in other words, the gritters were sent out too late, AFTER it had iced, yet again, and as a result even a vehicle that ought to be set up sepcifically to cope with the potential of an icy road road has crashed. Just shows the contempt for motorists this council has. Quite happy to rake in a fortune in parking fines, but when it comes to spending money on the roads, it's always too little, too late....
And before you ask, I've driven a snow plough in anger.
Dj Kaz
says...
3:00pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Ebb Tide
says...
3:47pm Wed 12 Dec 12
poolemaninscotland wrote:Thank goodness we have the NHS Accident & Emergency services but why allow the creation of more work for them ?
TinyLegacy wrote:You try saying be a little bit more careful to the little old lady who fell on the icy pavements on Cynthia Road this morning and broke her hip in two places you complete Moron. I hope to god she wasnt related to you if this is how you think. The council take a huge amount of money every year off us taxpayers to provide a service and gritting is part of this. In Scotland they have little quad bikes with gritting trailers on the back that do every single pavement so there is no excuse. It is sheer incompetance and bad managemen5t by the Borough of Poole Council.
Why start pointing fingers and moaning? Take some responsibility people. Drive according to the conditions. If walking, just do it more carefully than usual... it's ice, not a crocodile infested pool.
Quad bikes with gritting trailers I would like to see - could be more cost effective let alone able to get to those parts that our ordinary gritters cannot reach !!.
djkent
says...
4:28pm Wed 12 Dec 12
djkent
says...
4:28pm Wed 12 Dec 12
EGHH
says...
4:39pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Ebb Tide
says...
4:48pm Wed 12 Dec 12
EGHH wrote:Even my North Country cousins (within the UK) agree with your Canadian friend !! Life goes on in Northumberland and Durham.despite a frost !!!
Why is Britain so ill prepared. My Canadian friend thinks we are joke as they have 6 foot snow drifts and still manage to keep road and rail running.
paul.p
says...
6:36pm Wed 12 Dec 12
But on a positive note I do like it when the weather's like this, lots of empty roads for me to hone my skills towards being a better and safer driver, you never stop learning.
Turtlebay
says...
7:33pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Hobad1
says...
7:39pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Sovietobserver wrote:Yeah i think the first guy was taking the p!ss.
iampuzzled wrote:I was driving out of Immingham docks early yesterday on the A160 dual-carraigeway. The big continental truck in front of me suddenly started disposing large slabs of ice from its canvas roof. Most were hitting the road and flying in all directions, whilst I dodged them. Scary.So it does happen.
Headline says 'ice hits Dorset roads and pavements'.
So according to the Echo, ice is now an animate object?
Rather than ice just forming, it actually gets up to strike the roads and pavements but , strike with what (:o))
Weird world
says...
7:42pm Wed 12 Dec 12
HRH of Boscombe wrote:It's that time of year again to moan at the gritter drivers! Nobody's even asked if the driver is ok?
Parkstonegal wrote:What a load of rubbish. It's their job. They should just go out earlier to make sure it's covered before it freezes. Tell your mate the emergency services will now be working harder and risking their lives because the gritters couldn't be bothered to start a bit earlier.
speedy231278 wrote: So, in other words, the gritters were sent out too late, AFTER it had iced, yet again, and as a result even a vehicle that ought to be set up sepcifically to cope with the potential of an icy road road has crashed. Just shows the contempt for motorists this council has. Quite happy to rake in a fortune in parking fines, but when it comes to spending money on the roads, it's always too little, too late....I don't think u realise how hard the council workers work! I know someone that does the gritting and they work alot of hours over this time and do there best!! Do you know how many miles of road there are in Dorset!!! Would love to see you do a better job!!
Don't people realise that they can only go out when they are told, crews are on call around the clock, sometimes gritting after having already done a days work!
Yes they may get paid, but not nothing like you think, they have had a huge pay cut in the past months. To try and save you an increase in council tax!
Respect the weather and drive for the conditions!
Lord Spring
says...
8:00pm Wed 12 Dec 12
EGHH wrote:Ask your Canadian friend what they do before the snow falls and have conditions like we had this morning, they dread it.
Why is Britain so ill prepared. My Canadian friend thinks we are joke as they have 6 foot snow drifts and still manage to keep road and rail running.
funky_elephant
says...
8:41pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Vikki27
says...
9:29pm Wed 12 Dec 12
First of all, we all forgive ourselves for sometimes failing to be perfect in our jobs, yet so few of us permit the same allowance of others. When did our society get to be so selfish?
I firmly believe that they will have done the best they can...but you can't expect them to beat Mother Nature all the time! If the water froze as soon as it hit the ground, and it was continuously hitting the ground, how could anyone reasonably expect them to grit everything!? It just isn't possible! Besides which, do you really think they're going to do anything to encourage you lot of whinging minnies??
A wise man once said 'every job is easy to the man who's never tried'. Perhaps you should try before you cast aspersions. And if you can't then pipe down for goodness sakes.
So for those members of the council and the gritters who worked so hard...the weather got the better of you this time but you did a damned good try and don't let anyone make you think otherwise.
stevehiggi
says...
12:44am Thu 13 Dec 12
poolemaninscotland
says...
8:33am Thu 13 Dec 12
Phixer
says...
10:06am Thu 13 Dec 12
EGHH wrote:Because urban Dorset doesn't usually have 6 foot snow drifts - well, not every year.
Why is Britain so ill prepared. My Canadian friend thinks we are joke as they have 6 foot snow drifts and still manage to keep road and rail running.
How much do you want the local councils to take from your pocket to pay for additional trucks, equipment, etc.?
No doubt the Canadians, as well as others, can afford to invest in winter tyres, etc., because they know they will be needed every year and probably for 3-4 months. In Dorset we are unlikely to need such equipment for more than 6-7 days; some years not at all.
I am currently in Norway where it is snowing but the temperature is so cold that wet snow or ice are not a problem. The locals all have winter tyres fitted and the snow is so dry that it does not cause a problem when driving.
The UK weather situation is not comparable to Canada.
static kill
says...
10:33am Thu 13 Dec 12
Hector2004
says...
12:28pm Thu 13 Dec 12
Mr N James says...
8:48am Wed 12 Dec 12