Marple Lib Dems

News and comments making Marple a better place to live, work and play Learn more

Snow update

by Geoff Abell on 2 March, 2018

 Steve and Colin helping clear the way for residents

Thurs 23:00

Just to add that the gritting crews were out all night last night clearing arterial routes, although they struggled with Werneth Low and Glossop Road.  All main routes are clear although some steep side roads are still struggling.  Hundreds of tons of grit have been distributed, although we have weeks more in store, in spite of several periods of snow this winter.

However, more snow, cold periods and high winds may make overnight and tomorrow dangerous, so please be careful whether on foot, by vehicle or on bike.   (Yes, bikes can sometimes get through when cars can’t – that’s how I helped clear lorries off the ice during gridlock in Dan Bank in 2016!)  Although we aren’t the worst affect bit of the UK, the AA man’s advice tonight seemed sound: on a longer journey take cardboard, a shovel, hot drinks and at least a half tank of petrol.

 

Morning update from officers  Fri 04:21

No further snow has fallen across the network tonight and looks clear now for the remainder of the night. All priority routes have been gritted and ploughed and are running. Drifting snow is still causing issues in exposed high level areas which we will continue to plough till morning rush hour.

 

The following priority roads are impassable due to drifting snow;

 

Wybersley Road High Lane

Glossop Road Marple

Shiloh Road Mellor

Moor End Road Mellor 100 yards down from Shiloh Road

 

Fri 08:45

We have moved onto secondary routes this morning starting from 09:00hrs, the below areas will be gritted.

 

Marple

Marple Bridge

Mellor

High Lane

Hazel Grove

Offerton

Romiley

Woodley

Bredbury

 

Public Transport

Stagecoach tells us 375 bus service turning at Navigation Inn and not going to Mellor and not going to all estates.  383/384 running normally.

Trains eastbound to Sheffield affected by disruptions today past New Mills – first scheduled train is at 15:10.  Services between Hazel Grove and Buxton are suspended.

   18 Comments

18 Responses

  1. Sheila Harrop says:

    Thanks so much for that
    Much appreciated

  2. Mark Lynch says:

    Hi,

    I live on Brookdale Avenue in Hawk Green. We have a large drift across our road that is preventing vehicle access. I have left my vehicle down the road as attempts to cross it failed last night. The drift is especially affecting some older residents who cannot get off the street and I have helped one who was stuck. I’m planning to get out with my snow shovel later.

    Mark

    • Geoff Abell says:

      Our crews are trying to get to everyone but high winds don’t help. Some arterial roads are still closed. I expect by the end of the day they will get to most places. In the meanwhile, thanks for helping with your elderly neighbours – I am trying to do the same.

    • Geoff Abell says:

      I’ll come up and check the situation in Brookdale later.

    • Geoff Abell says:

      Mark you were right in that your road was exposed with consequently surprisingly high drifts. Thanks for talking to me yesterday. I hope to get it sorted today.

  3. Alan Small says:

    Very good & helpful.
    Thank you,

  4. David Burridge says:

    Thank you for providing these updates and the links to council services. I was particularly interested in the location of grit bins.

    We live at the very end of Seven Stiles Drive and if we were to drive out we would have to negotiate two 90 degree bends followed by a steep slope. In previous years there has been a grit bin strategically placed at one of these bends. It is not shown on your map and I have to say I have not ventured out on foot to see if it’s there or not. If not, please could we have it back?

    • Geoff Abell says:

      I’ll check the situation.

    • Geoff Abell says:

      I checked on Sat and the road seemed free. Is there still a missing bin?

      • David Burridge says:

        Sorry for late reply. I did venture out on foot on Friday and the bin is indeed missing. One person had done an excellent job of clearing part of the road between the two bends and the wind had done its best to clear our stretch. I was able to drive my stroke survivor wife to Church on Sunday as the thaw had started. Let’s hope there are no more heavy snow falls before next winter by which time our grit bin may have reappeared.

        Does anyone know if Glossop Road is clear yet? My car is due for service on Thursday, in Glossop!

        • Geoff Abell says:

          Thanks for all the feedback here (and by email) and the patience whilst crews got to you. (Or, exceptionally, one of us cllrs! But we don’t have the big equipment.) Yes – all roads including Glossop Road are now passable since Sunday. Unless anyone knows differently?

  5. George Lee says:

    Ferwood again has not been gritted and Hollins Lane was full of abandoned vehicles on Tuesday night.
    I have never known that Brabyns had to be closed by the Police before because of lack of gritting.

    • Geoff Abell says:

      Brabyns was gritted – it’s one of the major 1-5 routes. It’s always the first fall of snow that causes chaos and traffic had not churned snow and grit by then. (Although thankfully traffic was moving slowly.) Without 4-wheel drive and winter tyres it was dangerous to use that night. If you saw the news, Buxton’s gritting lorries needed digging out last week! Hopefully the thaw will start soon.
      Thank you for your comments.

  6. Jon Cummins says:

    Our Grit bin on Sterling Drive has been empty for days now, I have asked the Highways to fill it. But thanks to my hard work as I am ex Highways I have made Rushton Dr passable, Every snow fall I am out there de icing the rd .

  7. Geoff Abell says:

    Once again, I want to praise our gritting crews and their management, working long hours in difficult situations and getting minor injuries trying to free cars.

Leave a Reply

You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>