THE Isle of Man is better geared up for disruption on the roads caused by the winter weather than ever before, according to the government.
Extra stocks of gritting salt have been imported in advance to ensure that levels don’t fall as critically low as last year when the long cold winter occasionally caused significant disruption for motorists all over the Island.
The issue of lack of staff and gritting equipment even managed to reach the floor of the House of Keys and Tynwald with the MHKs for North Douglas complaining that the residents in their constituency had been “abandoned” by the government.
With this no doubt in mind, the Department Of Infrastructure now says it is ready and prepared for the winter, with the sceptics suggesting there might be another severe winter on the way.
Last year salt supplies were reduced to 50% of the full storage capacity before Christmas, so this year the department has already doubled its stocks to just over 10,000 tonnes.
“Each year we get better and better prepared,” said Geoff Walmsley, engineering manager for the DOI. “We’ve done a lot of work this year numbering salt boxes so people can phone in and tell us when the salt has gone.
“And last week we were at Jurby calibrating gritters so that we deliver the correct amount of salt onto the highway.
“As a matter of course we always start with a holding capacity of about 5,000 tonnes. Over the winter period last year we put down we actually put down over 7,000 tonnes so this year we’ve got a stock of just over 10,000 tonnes, so we shouldn’t be running critically low like we did last winter.”
Last year’s first snow of the winter fell with a dusting on top of Snaefell on November 14th and the first serious snow to affect motorists fell a few weeks later. The first snow of winter in Britain fell in Scotland a few days ago, but only a small amount on the top of the highest northerly mountains.
However, a shower of hailstones did hit Douglas yesterday morning and temperatures in the last few days have taken a noticeable dive downwards.
With a ridge of high pressure giving sparkling clear nights in the last few days, temperatures at night have also nose-dived and the Met office at Ronaldsway has predicted a temperatures as low of 4C overnight tonight (Thursday), which could easily result in a ground frost.
Temperatures are predicted to rise again over the weekend and early into next week, but the signs are already there for the possibility of frost, snow and ice in the very near future, so the government’s gritters might be out sooner, rather than later.
