And it all stops for snow (From Swindon Advertiser)

And it all stops for snow

12:00pm Monday 21st January 2013 in News

TREACHEROUS icy conditions meant Swindon was slow to get moving again following last week’s heavy snowfall.

After the town ground to a halt on Friday due to the snow, which reached a foot in places, services began to get back into full swing.

Thamesdown Transport and Stagecoach buses resumed in full yesterday, while leisure centres such as the Link Centre and Oasis opened during normal hours.

Swindon Council gritters worked through the night both Friday and Saturday to ensure the major routes were clear.

Thamesdown Drive, which had seen lengthy delays and incidents on Friday was flowing freely again, as was the M4 in both directions.

Some businesses in the town remained shut, including Roves Farm, which was forced to close de to ice on the approach road but the parks saw hundreds of people turn out to make the most of the snow.

Great Western Ambulance Service had to respond to more incidents of slips as the snow turned to ice and made the pavements a hazard.

A spokesman for Great Western Ambulance Service said: “We had an increase in reports of people slipping on the ice and sustaining minor fractures.

“Friday and Saturday did not see an increase in demand but because of the snow it was taking longer to get to incidents. On Sunday more people were getting out and about and we had a number of slips and trips on the ice.”

Meanwhile police have urged caution on rural and residential roads, which have not been gritted, and officers in Royal Wootton Bassett posted a warning on Facebook after a young driver crashed his car after losing control on the ice on the B4042.

A police spokesman said: “Many of the rural roads, residential streets and cul-de-sacs are like ice rinks. Please take extreme care if you have to drive, take it slow and leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle ahead. Think ‘do I really need to go out in this weather?’.”

One young driver of a Nissan Micra did not listen to his parents’ advice and lost control in the snow on the B4042 – fortunately he and his passenger were okay and nobody else was involved.”