Highways Agency (National): Highways Agency advice to drivers as colder weather returns

Drivers are being advised to check the weather forecast and road conditions before they travel on Thursday 16 December 2010 and into the weekend, as a marked fall in temperature is forecast across the whole of England.

The Highways Agency, which operates and maintains motorways and other strategic roads in England, is working closely with the Met Office to monitor weather conditions. Our winter fleet will be out treating motorways and other strategic roads around the clock while the cold weather continues.

With exceptionally low temperatures forecast, the Highways Agency is advising drivers to check road conditions, and to plan their journeys before they set out, leaving extra time for their journeys if travel conditions are poor.

Even where roads have been treated, drivers are advised to pay particular care at locations where local conditions such as road gradients, bends or overhanging trees mean that there may be an increased risk of difficult driving conditions. There is still a need to drive with care, even after road surfaces have been treated with salt and are clear of snow.

Additionally, road users are advised to be prepared with warm clothing and an emergency pack, which includes food and water, boots, de-icer, a torch, and a shovel in case of snow.

It can take ten times longer to stop when it is icy, so allow more room to slow down and stop. Avoid losing control of your vehicle because of wheel spin, by using the highest gear possible. Avoid sudden braking, acceleration and sharp turns.

Up-to-date information on road conditions on England's motorways and trunk roads is available on the Agency website at www.highways.gov.uk/traffic or by calling 0300 123 5000. For information on weather conditions, visit the Met Office website www.metoffice.gov.uk or listen to local radio.

Drivers should take care around spreading vehicles and vehicles clearing snow and should only overtake if they can do so safely, without driving on any un-cleared snow. Winter service vehicles are performing essential work to help keep roads open and may be travelling at low speed.

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Notes to editors

Issued by the Highways Agency Press Office. For further information please contactpressoffice@highways.gsi.gov.uk . Media enquiries out of hours should be made to the Highways Agency National Press Office (24hrs) on 0207 081 7443.

1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England’s motorways and trunk roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.

2. Media images of our network, spreaders and snowploughs can be found on our Flickr channelwww.flickr.com/highwaysagency

3. Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and major A roads is available:

- From our Traffic Radio service, available on DAB digital radio and the internet atwww.trafficradio.org.uk To tune into the DAB service, simply press the "scan" button on your radio. The radio will tune into all available channels and you can select the new service by scrolling through the channels until you reach "Traffic Radio".

- From the web at www.highways.gov.uk/traffic or www.highways.gov.uk/mobile if using a phone or mobile device.

Before using any mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. Make sure it’s safe and legal before you call.

4. For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000 at any time. Calls from landlines to 0300 numbers can cost up to 8p per minute but are free from some landline providers: calls from mobiles usually cost more. Please check costs with your service provider.

Issued by the Highways Agency Press Office. For further information please contactpressoffice@highways.gsi.gov.uk . Media enquiries out of hours should be made to the Highways Agency National Press Office (24hrs) on 0207 081 7443.

Contacts

NDS Enquiries 
Phone: For enquiries please contact the issuing dept 
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk