Posted on 21 December 2010

AA calls for “risk assessment” on motorways

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The AA has said there should be restriction on lorries using motorways during bad weather with risk assessments carried out.

The organisation made the calls in the light of chaos on the UK’s roads during the weekend with heavy snow and ice making driving treacherous. The M25 was closed for seven hours on Sunday after a liquid petroleum gas tanker overturned.

Edmund King, President of the AA, said that jack-knifed lorries had added to the chaos over the weekend and said: “We should have a risk assessment of the motorway network to identify areas where trucks are most likely to jack-knife or get stuck in snow. Then, just as high-sided lorries are restricted from crossing the Severn bridge in high winds, lorries should be restricted based on the conditions on the ground.”

He also suggested that lorries should stay in the slow lane during the cold snap, saying: “On motorways and dual carriageways this would help to avoid an accident blocking the whole route. It might also be worth more HGVs considering snow chains.” The AA reported 16,000 emergency callouts on Saturday alone, more than double what it would usually expect.

There looks to be no end in sight as forecasters warn of more wintry weather ahead. They are warning that though the situation may ease slightly in the south, the bad weather will affect the north with more snow expected to add to the icy roads. There was also chaos at the UK’s airports, especially Heathrow, with thousands stranded here and abroad.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/dec/20/uk-snow-chaos-continues