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Drivers abandon cars after heavy snowfall

By Mike Pyle
December 22, 2009

Many drivers were forced to abandon their cars after heavy snow caused gridlock across the town last night.

Cars are scattered on grass verges and roundabouts waiting to be collected by their owners.

Bracknell gridlocked by heavy snow

Gritting lorries were unable to help drivers gridlocked in the snow as the council was unable to mobilise them in time to stop many of them getting caught up in the traffic.

Steve Loudoun, Bracknell Forest Council’s chief officer for environment and public protection, said: “At lunchtime we had some light rain which turned some of the remaining snow into slush.

“However the rain turned to sleet followed by the heavy wet snow which lay on the ground in spite of the earlier rain.

“In light of what was happening the gritters were mobilised to salt the primary routes asap and they were up and running by 3pm.

“Whilst the gritters were mobilised quickly they became trapped in what was by then a local and regional gridlock.

“It seems that we got the severe weather warning of heavy snow in the area after we had taken the decision to mobilise.”

Gritters were out overnight and the council’s landscaping staff are out with contractor Ringway to help keep the roads clear today.

Bracknell Forest Council gritters have spread 234 tonnes of grit since the snow first began last Thursday.

Did you get stuck in the snow last night? Leave your comments below. Call our reporter Mike Pyle on 0118 918 3007 or email editorial@bracknellstandard.co.uk

Email your snow photos to lucy.thorne@reading-epost.co.uk and we'll put them on this website. Don't forget to put your name and where the photo was taken.

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I am wondering why it took so long to up and mobilise the gritters when it was known well ahead of time that we were expecting heavy snow, the gritting lorrys should have been up and ready to go as soon as the snow starting settling. I think someone sat in their office ready to give word at the last minute only, just in case they might waste money by unnecessary gritting.

BBC Radio Berkshire were reporting that the weather was going to get really bad and this was around 1.30pm on Monday. Snow was expected so the gritters should have been mobilised well before 3pm any one with any common sense could have worked out that people would being leaving work early. It is nearly always 3pm that businesses let their staff go.

I really wish that the safety of local people would be the first thing the council think about

Marjo
14/01/2010 at 07:58

“In light of what was happening the gritters were mobilised to salt the primary routes asap and they were up and running by 3pm."

Sounds like the Council sat and watched the snow falling scared to use their salt stocks. A decision should have been made earlier on the basis of what was going to happen. Maybe we should send the ghost of Christmas future!

Why were the gritters not mobilised earlier. Anyone could see that the snow was settling by around 1.30pm. Local radio were saying it was going to get worse and we had been warned this was coming. The gritters should have been rolling at the first sight of snow settling. The condtions were really cold so at least by 2pm the grtters should have been rolling.

If the Council could be trusted to grit the roads and make them safe in a timely manner, people just would not have rushed home early..... Lessons learnt from last February..... I Think Not!

Phyl
24/12/2009 at 06:51

It took me 7 hours to get from the M4 at Heathrow off at J10 for Bracknell. It got worse and worse. I'm amazed nobody was killed. The number of coaches and lorries losing grip was terrifying. The M4 was just a complete ice rink. J10 looked to be the worse hit and the knock on effect for the M4 was evident. A couple of bags of grit at J10 could have saved a world of hassle. We moan about the interfering nanny state but where is it when you need it the most?