With temperatures
continuing to fall during the week, the Highways Agency is
reminding people of the need to be prepared when they set out on a journey.
Even if it’s not snowing, cold weather can create dangers that
are less obvious – such as an increased risk of ice. This means
you need to take care says the Agency, which looks after England’s
motorways and major A roads.
“Although the forecast suggests you are unlikely to need a
snow shovel this week, you should make sure you have plenty of
warm clothing for you and your passengers. If you break down on
the motorway it’s dangerous to stay in your vehicle,” says Jason
Glasson of the Highways Agency’s winter team.
A Met Office cold weather alert has been issued for the
entire country. They are predicting temperatures of minus three in
London and Birmingham on Friday morning. Everywhere is expected to
be sub zero and the temperature will ‘feel like’ minus six or
lower in places.
The Highways Agency’s 500-strong gritting fleet is expecting
this to be one of its busiest weeks of the winter.
Even though it has been relatively mild so far compared to
last year, the fleet has already spread more than 60,000 tonnes of
salt since the start of winter and is expecting to clock up a
million miles by the weekend.
Met Office forecasters based at the Highways Agency’s
national traffic operations centre say there will be little rain
or snow before the weekend, but road conditions can still be
challenging when it is so cold.
“It’s particularly important you give yourself extra time to
prepare for your journey on a cold morning and don’t drive off
until you and your car are ready,” adds Jason Glasson.
Advice includes:
• Even if it hasn’t rained overnight, a heavy frost can still
make roads slippy.
• Watch out for icy conditions under bridges, overhanging
trees and exposed roads.
• Allow extra time in the morning to de-ice your car windows
– and then clean all of them so you have a good view.
• On a cold, clear morning there is a greater risk of being
dazzled by low sun through a frosty windscreen. Include sunglasses
in your winter driving kit.
Information about a winter driving kit and other advice to
help motorists be prepared for winter is on the Highways Agency
website at www.highways.gov.uk/winter
Notes to Editors
1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department
for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England’s motorways
and other strategic roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.
2. To keep up to date with the activities of the Highways
Agency's winter team, traffic reports, advice and weather
reports follow us on Twitter @winterhighways.
3. Gritters don't actually spread grit, they spread
salt. To be effective this then needs to be crushed by traffic and
moisture on the road for it to form a salty solution.
4. Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and
other strategic roads is available:
- From the web at www.highways.gov.uk/traffic or
www.highways.gov.uk/mobile if using a phone or mobile device.
- By phone from the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300
123 5000 at any time. (Calls to 0300 numbers will cost no more
than 5p per minute from a standard BT residential landline. Call
charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary, but
will be no more than a standard geographic call and will be
included in all inclusive minutes and discount schemes). Make sure
it’s safe and legal before you call. Before using any mobile, find
a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a
motorway except in an emergency.
- On an iPhone app which
will automatically select the region you are in. Free to download
from the iTunes store or search for Highways Agency on your
device.
- From Twitter – there are eight regional feeds with
live traffic information. For the full index visit www.highways.gov.uk/twitter.
5. Receive our national and regional press releases by RSS
and get the latest headlines straight to your desktop the moment
we publish them to our website. Choose to receive a national press
feed or one of our regionalised feeds - go to
www.highways.gov.uk/rssnews for more information.
Contacts:
Mik Barton.
Phone: 075 5445 8909
mik.barton@highways.gsi.gov.uk