County council “prepared for wintry weather”

Commuters faced long delays on the M65 motorway in both directions and main roads into town also saw queues of traffic.

The main road through Padiham as well as routes through Briercliffe and surrounding villages were said to be “treacherous”.

Lancashire County Council said it had gritted “hundreds of miles of roads”.

As further showers of sleet and snow were expected, all routes were gritted overnight, including those already treated earlier in the day. Gritter drivers stayed on throughout the night to patrol and monitor routes and grit as needed.

The gritters continued to treat the roads during Wednesday morning to clear the problem locations on network.

Of the 4,300 miles of road the county council is responsible for, around a third (1,500 miles) are part of the priority road network for salting and snow clearing during the winter.

County Councillor John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “We’ve made detailed preparations for wintry weather which focus on keeping traffic moving by concentrating gritting on the main routes. We’re as ready as we can be for any prolonged severe weather.

“I’d ask everyone to be very careful as moving traffic is needed to mix the grit with the snow and ice before it takes full effect, and roads may still be icy even after they’ve been gritted depending on the conditions. “There are fairly easy things we can all do to make sure that when severe weather strikes we are able to manage. Whether it’s checking on elderly and vulnerable neighbours, helping to clear snow from pathways or planning ahead for your journey, together we can keep our county safe and on the move.

“Making sure your car is serviced and equipped for winter conditions, and checking local travel news before your journey can make a big difference.”

More information is available on the county council’s website at www.lancashire.gov.uk/winter.

Updates on gritting are also available by following @LancashireCC on Twitter.