Warning over icy road conditions

A vehicle negotiates heavy snow in Duston, Northamptonshire

Drivers in Northamptonshire are being warned about dangerous driving conditions as the county braces itself for continuing icy conditions.

Northamptonshire County Council said with temperatures expected to drop as low as -7C overnight, drivers needed to exercise extreme caution.

Low temperatures resulted in widespread problems on Saturday, with ice on roads throughout the county.

In Corby, freezing fog reduced visibility to 100m.

'Extreme care'

In a statement on its website, Northamptonshire County Council said: "It has been agreed with partners that in such cold conditions with the amount of grit required to keep roads clear it is essential our gritting operation tonight is focused on keeping the main roads in the county open and as safe as possible.

"Therefore gritters will be continuing to grit priority one routes, meaning all A roads in the county will be gritted.

"It is essential that drivers take extreme care because of the conditions, especially when using other roads tonight and tomorrow."

Earlier, Northamptonshire Police said the icy conditions had eased by late morning but some disruption continued and warnings to drivers remained.

"Hills and inclines are very difficult to negotiate but in fact the ice is affecting all routes and comes on top of the thick layer of snow that still persists on side roads and minor roads," a police spokeswoman said.

Temperatures 'remaining low'

"Although there have been few traffic-related incidents overnight...we have had a number of jack-knifed or stuck lorries.

"The primary routes through the county have now been gritted and the secondary routes have been gritted and ploughed on hills, bends and other areas of concern."

Det Supt Charles Moffat urged all motorists, including HGV drivers, to stay off the road until conditions improved.

He said: "Temperatures are predicted to remain low throughout the day and drivers need to pay attention to the fact that although the roads may look clear, there is widespread ice and frost which is less easy to spot and just as hazardous.

"I am asking drivers not to be over-confident about road conditions and remember that the going is extremely slippery."

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