Snow causes road chaos

Date published: 04 February 2012

Snow is causing 'chaos' on Rochdale’s roads this evening (Saturday 4 February).

Motorists are being advised not to travel unless their journey is absolutely necessary.

Snow has been falling since lunch time and some main roads have become difficult to drive on, making journey times longer.

The weather has caused problems on main routes, including Manchester Road between Rochdale town centre and Castleton.

One road user told Rochdale Online that a journey which normally takes ten minutes took an hour and described the roads as "chaos."

Snow is forecast to extend past midnight and the Highways Agency has extended its amber alert to 9.00am tomorrow morning. Previously the alert was in place until 11.59pm today.

Driving in snow and ice advice from the AA:

• Stopping distances are 10 times longer in ice and snow.
• Gentle manoeuvres are the key to safe driving.
• Wear comfortable, dry shoes: cumbersome, snow-covered boots will slip on the pedals.
• Select second gear when pulling away, easing your foot off the clutch gently to avoid wheel-spin.
• When climbing a hill it's important to avoid having to stop on the hill by waiting until it is clear of other cars or by leaving plenty of room between you and the car in front. Try to maintain a constant speed, choosing the most suitable gear well in advance to avoid having to change down on the hill.
• When driving downhill, reduce your speed before the hill, use a low gear and try to avoid using the brakes. Leave as much room as possible between you and the car in front.
• Always apply brakes gently. Release them and de-clutch if the car skids.
• If you have an automatic, then under normal driving conditions (motorways, etc) it's best to select 'Drive' and let the gearbox do the work throughout the full gear range. In slippery, snowy conditions you can make driving much safer by selecting '2', which limits the gear changes and also makes you less reliant on the brakes. Many modern autos have a 'Winter' mode which locks out first gear to reduce the risk of wheel spin. Check the handbook if you're not sure.
• If you do get stuck, straighten the steering and clear the snow from the wheels. Put a sack or old rug in front of the driving wheels to give the tyres some grip. Once on the move again, try not to stop until you reach firmer ground.