Icy weather hits rush hour traffic
Wednesday 6th January 2010, 3:00PM GMT.
St Michael’s was the only school that did not close this morning – although everyone made their way in very carefully. Picture: ROB CURRIE (00864671)
LIGHT snow and ice brought chaos to Jersey’s roads today despite warnings that bad weather was on its way.
All of the Island’s States schools were closed and many bus services suspended after wintry showers overnight.
Police said there were five accidents reported this morning. A man was arrested in St Peter at 4 am following a crash and was this morning being questioned on suspicion of drink-driving. The other accidents happened in St Helier, Trinity and St Ouen. All involved single cars sliding on ice into walls and banks. No one was injured. Inspector Alan Williamson said this morning: ‘Don’t drive unless it is absolutely necessary.
The Island’s six salt spreaders were out from 4 am but many motorists still reported difficult conditions on some major roads. Transport and Technical Services Minister Mike Jackson defended the approach of his team by explaining that salt only works once the snow has fallen or ice has formed.
Meanwhile Education director Mario Lundy said he would be liaising with the Met Office, TTS and Connex, who run the school bus services, throughout today in order to decide as soon as possible if schools would reopen tomorrow.
• E-mail you snow pictures, with contact details, to pictures@jerseyeveningpost.com
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Salt on roads, Thats all we need,
Cars rust quick enough here with the sea air,
now they are putting it on the roads.
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What a joke, what will we do if it actually snows and sticks and not have to deal with this slush.
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What I want to know is why can’t we have a central place where we can go to find out what is happening in these situations?
I found myself up at 6am today watching TV (I never turn it on in the morning) trying to find out if schools were open, if so which ones… and were busses running or the airport open etc… it is not as if there is an entire countries worth of data to collect and put up on a website!
Even now, I am getting reports the traffic is being badly affected by the weather in the east of the island but I have no radio or TV at work to confirm this (@16:08)!
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More money than sense at St Michael’s – wearing SHORTS to school when it is snowing. lol
Write out one hundred times:
“I must wear clothing appropriate to the weather conditions”.
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” Transport and Technical Services Minister Mike Jackson defended the approach of his team by explaining that salt only works once the snow has fallen or ice has formed.”
Meaning that salt can only be spread on affected roads after snow has fallen?
I am currently in London and we have experienced some 6 inches of snow, gritters were out very early and all major roads are clear. Obviously the London guys didn’t know they had to spread the salt on top of the snow.
UK’s capital manages perfectly well with 6 inches of snow – Jersey grinds to a halt with the threat of 2 inches. Drinking session in a brewery anyone?
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Unbelieveable how a slight snow shower can cause so much Chaos…thanks to the states, Ive wasted a days holiday looking after my 6 year old son because they have closed all the schools…. absolutely disgraceful.
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Town dwellers aren’t noticing it too much (PJ @2 reference to slush). However, the hills and higher ground are getting lots of black ice as cars are driving and people are walking over the 1/2mm of snow that has stuck it is compressing and turning to ice which is difficult to see. This is why connex are not running bus services as usual and therefore why schools are closed. Gritting will only do so much but if the snow keeps falling we’ll keep getting ice. I’m not pro 4x4s but you wouldn’t expect them to be capable on an ice rink would you?
Stay safe people, don’t drive unless you absolutely have to, walk wearing suitable footwear if possible if you do have to go out, put your feet up and have a nice cuppa tea!
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#3 GMR, to be honest, back in Scotland you listen to your local radio to find out if your school is closed. I remember tuning around around 10 to 9 as a child hoping to hear my school named
As far as the roads go most of your knowledge in the UK comes from word of mouth at the end of the day. You’ll know about the motorways from websites, but not much else.
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When will we wake up and realise that we and the
British Isles are the laughing stock of Europe in
winter time,why on earth are the schools shut for
heavens sake,do like it is in Europe and Scandinavia where the kids some as young as six
just ski or walk to their lessons,where parents
don’t think or worry about if the little darlings
take a tumble,its called growing up!.believe me I
can assure everyone here,its that cold in Scandinavia at the moment even the salt has frozen
on the roads and the temperature just north of
oslo is at minus 41.9 dgrC !but life goes on,public transport runs on time,and airports open
for business,and closing a school up there would be a joke,also people go to work as normal by car,as winter tyres or chains are law.Sadly unlike most other countries,we and Britain are constrained by that madness called Health and safety ,which runs like an out of control decease
through our life creating fears of everyone
sueing and claiming off each other,with the result
of creating the “faffy” society as it is now,just look at how we react to the perthetic amounts of
snow that fall on our land that practicaly brings
life to a halt,and affects the economy due to loss of working hours,utter madness !
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some of you people make me laugh. Ok so the met office got it slightly wrong today and we didn’t have the heavy snow they panicked us into believing we were going to get, but can you imagine the panic if the snow had arrived and we had have had to get the 13,000 school children in the islands safely home. We would have seen alot more injuries thats for sure. And just to get the record straight you will find that 95% of the teachers in Jersey have their own children to deal with aswell, so stop trying to tarnish them.
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Todays snow (lack of) was a case in point of how badly run Jersey is. The States closed the schools on the basis of potential snow falls – which didn’t materialise – causing countless parents to either have to make urgent childcare provisions or take the day of work. Goodness knows the cost to Jersey businesses in lost productivity. Total joke.
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Charlie (8) – no good comparing the Channel Islands with Scandanavia and Europe. Don’t forget those places experience these conditions without fail for weeks at a time every year. On that basis they are equipped for it – the cost is worth it. For us on the other hand, it’s a case of a few inches every few years. Why would parents buy their kids skis or snow shoes to get to school? Why would every driver purchase specialist tyres for these conditions? As I’ve said in my previous comment, the buses aren’t running because the roads are icy. Would you rather the buses continued running as normal and risk the safety of passengers when they have no grip on the road because of the ice?
That said it seems a lot clearer in St Helier. Why don’t they keep the town schools open and allow the town kids to continue to go to school?
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I’d have thought with all the roads that have been dug up each year the states could have installed under-tarmac heating to melt the ice/snow
Especially as the JEC has reduced it’s prices now too we could make a saving
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Lets hope it does,t last too long.
I,m too scared to go out in case i slip and hate staying in the whole day.
The winter of 62/63 went on for a couple of months with no let up.
I had to walk from bagot taking my son in pushchair to nursery in rouge bullion before starting work.
the blizzards and icy roads and the never ending snow was relentless.
With abandoned cars all over the place i often got in the back of one with the pushchair to thaw out for a few minutes(nobody bothered much with locking cars then)
I believe the Thames froze over during this time.
I just hope we never have to go through this weather again
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Perhaps an enviormental tax on two wheel drive vehicles that require the roads to be salted or even a total ban in driving such vehicles in bad weather. Most convential petrol cars are far larger and cause far more pollution than the smaller enviormetally frendly 4×4.
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why is jersey run by the states they dont know what they are doing wensday a little bit of snow and ice why close schools my 2 kids go to 2 schools which are 5 min from home and could of easy walked there if there is snow ice it should be if you can get to school go and today I have lost 2 days pay thank you
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Oh Andy, why don’t you just go outside and enjoy the snow with your children instead of moaning about losing 2 days work? Just because you live 5 minutes away from school it doesn’t mean everyone else lives that close. Why should schools stay open for a handful of kids and their grumpy parents? I bet if your little darlings went to school, slipped on the icy roads and broke a leg or an arm because of the road condition you would get all upset and start asking why schools weren’t closed.
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Well said no.17! I’m fed up with hearing all the wingeing -Sometimes the powers that be can never win, damned if they do and damned if they don’t!
May I suggest a new years resolution – must be more positive about things!
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11.God’s Mentor – You’re totally wrong. The schools were shut because Connex took the buses off the road. And besides, if they did close the schools because of the bad weather prediction is it really their fault that the forecast was wrong??
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The States is considered by many to be “run by people who do not know what they are doing” because the people of Jersey vote for these people. Despite the claims of some, Jersey is actually a democracy with regular elections for EVERY member of our parliament who is permitted to vote in the States assembly.
That the salary for a States member is set at a very junior management level and well below the level that would attract the dynamic, up and coming leaders and entrepreneurs is down to the contempt the general public have for the role of our parliament.
So to all the above if you could do better stand for election – if not then just reflect on the fact that those you have placed in charge are probably doing their best.
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As children we were the Tonka Trucks of my day, not the lightweights of today!
In North Staffordshire,in the 1963 winter, a sudden blizzard covered the place and I had to walk home 10miles from my school .It took about four hours. I remember it was almost enjoyable walking along. I was well wrapped up and passing stuck cars and buses. The main roads were cleared overnight and there was no question of not going in the next day unless there were drifts…which were commonly 6 to 8 feet high. I remember waking up on winter mornings and marvelling at the fantastic ice patterns on the inside of the windows, pre-double glazing and central heating.
I used to be sent out after snow falls to clear a shovel-width path from the house and along the footpath in front of the property so people could walk safely.
Everyone did that then. I still do.
We should all do that now….as soon as any more snow falls…chip away and salt anything there now… it doesn’t take long and will help someone keep on their feet.
I know it’s very frustrating and inconvenient to have plans and work disrupted but we are very lucky it’s not a regular occurrence and doesn’t last too long.
Spring will soon be here!
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@17. Love it! My thoughts exactly.
Last year when schools stayed open, the number of people that complained and critized was unbelievable. My bet is that it is the same people that are complaining this year that they have been closed.
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20. Spot on Sanity.
P.S – some of you are genuinely funny people who should get out more. Work to live not the other way around.
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#20 Sanity – “the salary for a States member is set at a very junior management level and well below the level that would attract the dynamic, up and coming leaders and entrepreneurs”
Even you can see that it would attract the greedy! The greedy are not the same as the dynamic, up and coming leaders and entrepreneurs. Indeed, I tend to think that some people grow up with politics as a vocation and that in itself means that the salary is not necessarily a deciding factor.
Personally I dread to think who we would get if the salary was really good, I think it would be worse than what we have now.
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#24. Leah Holmes. Sanity also made the point that anyone can stand for election….so why not go for it?? Sounds like you’d have several like minded supporters judging by some of the posts!!
#20. Sanity. I couldn’t agree more!!
#21. mummylou. Forecast for the weekend is awful. Could you come and clear my drive on Sunday for me please?
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No 3, GMR. Listen to Channel 103…they have been fantastic the last few days in providing all the info we need regarding the condition of the roads, buses, schools etc. Hats off to 103!!
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#25 TB, sorry but my ‘supporters’ want me for PM in the UK
Seriously though, it’s not a vocation that’s ever taken me, nor is it a task my health would let me undertake. I think some grow up wanting to make a difference from the top and others grow up wanting to make a difference from the bottom, I fall into the latter category. I believe both are important. I don’t want a system where someone can grow up with no desire to make a difference anywhere but then gets attracted by the money, I think that’s a scary prospect.
Relative to what politicians in the UK get (for the population) States Members are actually very well paid.
But thanks for the comment, I think there are a few people on here who should consider it
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My lady lives in Jersey i live in North Yorkshire
I spend most of my time in Yorkshire the rest in Jersey.
We have at the moment in Yorkshire about 18″ of snow Jersey 1 1/2″ We build snowmen you build snowboys (small men)?
The states have it right shut down schools stop the buses and cars.
Your snow will have gone by Monday ours could be here for weeks, so why have all the bumps and injury’s not worth it for sutch a short time of incovienience.
Regards
Trevor Romans
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#28 I do totally understand your sentiment but I’m not sure I agree entirely.
We have survived for millenia going around in snow. It’s really not a health and safety nightmare just wear the correct footwear and correct clothing and take care. We are designed to be able to deal with snow. We have plenty of ability to break our fall, although in saying that I’ve never had a bad fall on snow or ice anyway, and I’ve been out in plenty of it.
I think we can mollycoddle ourselves too much and render ourselves incapable of things we are actually perfectly capable of contending with.
So what if someone breaks and arm on ice, who’s to say they wouldn’t have broken it in better weather just by tripping?
We really are becoming a nation of complete woosies, and I can’t say I like it.
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Trevor Charles Roman #28
Well said
From my memory ( I have lived in Jersey for 50 years )the number of times the island has ground to a halt through snow can be counted on one persons fingers.
We pay for the preparation for “if it snows” every year and this must cost thousands, or more.
If it snows ,
kids stay home and have fun.
Parents Even if you have to take it from your holiday allocation go outside and have some quality time with your kids (don’t forget the camera)
Everyone else, without putting yours or others safety at risk make every reasonable effort to get to work, if you cant! join the others in having fun.
Emergency and essential services. One would hope your planning department has procedures in place to cope, if not why not ?
Max 3 days disruption. one could survive that long even in St Ouens, might mean burning the furniture and eating snow though (don’t eat the yellow snow).
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Leah – You continually complain that we have not got people of sufficient calibre in our government but also state that your are against paying a realistic salary for the job. How then do you propose that we attract a more dynamic person to give up a lucrative career, the chance of owning their own house, financial security, pension etc and work for us?
What has the size of the population got to do with it? – it’s irrelevant as the job is the same, or probably even more difficult as you have not got the support and infrastructure of a large jurisdiction.
As votes we are the Employers. We set the salary and select who gets the job. And just like the worst employers we want to pay the minimum rate, treat our employees with contempt, offer no incentives, sack them for the least offence and when things go wrong simply state that we can’t get the staff.
It is OUR fault things are as they are.
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#31 Sanity, I would imagine that people believing they really could affect change would be a good start. This isn’t a feeling I get in Jersey, people seem to believe that they really don’t have a say and it doesn’t matter what the public think, they don’t even believe that the electoral system allows for real change. I know at least one person who would consider entering the States but doesn’t believe there is any point while certain States Members are in there.
I totally agree about the rest of what you say, although is it possible that the contempt has been earned? Some States Members clearly treat the public with contempt so why should they expect anything other than contempt back?
I do accept it’s partially the voters’ fault things are the way they are, the other part of the fault probably pre-dates any of us.
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To a certain extent politics is different to other jobs.
People become politicians because they believe that they can change things for the better or they like working for their community.
A lot of people who become members of the Sates have put in years at the parish or community level.
They are not particularly dynamic but they have the one thing that matters; votes!
Put up a hot shot lawyer that is never seen in the parish, spends weekends and weeks away against an old farmer, twenty years a Centeiner, attends church and parish assemblies and I can tell you who will win.
The old farmer!
You can pay him £40K or £100K he will still get the seat.
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Leah – You say that our electoral system does not allow for change! Unfortunately the problem with democracy is that the will of the majority overrides that of the minority. Hitler and Stalin were exceptions to this rule and look as the suffering they caused.
As ALL States members are voted in your last comment seems to suggest that maybe your views are that of the minority.
The vast majority of people in Jersey live well above the standards experienced in most developed countries so our government must be getting something right. That one person cannot change this is a good safety measure as Jersey could very quickly end up a bankrupt backwater with a few millionaires taking advantage and paying the few remaining local a subsistence wage in exchange for total obedience.
We are very lucky to live in Jersey – despite all our little faults.
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Pip – You are spot on. Maybe our States are not all old farmers, as we have a few from other industries but the basic level of candidate is just the same. What we need is a decent sprinkling of new dynamic people to come in and sow a few ideas and for that we need to pay a competitive salary. I recognise the danger that a few will be attracted only by the salary but with stiff competition it is down to us, the voters, taking an interest and making the right appointment.
An alternative is to scrap the States salary completely and go back to the good old days where we were ruled by the only people who could afford to stand, the rich and the landed.
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#33 Pip that’s very true.
I don’t see why people assume that ‘successful’ businessmen or lawyers etc would automatically make great leaders for the island. Who knows how they got to be successful in business? We cannot assume it was all due to their brilliance. Then who’s to say they are actually that successful and that it isn’t all about to collapse around their ears? I’d rather someone that has lived here for years, knows the island well and knows its people well, all the people not just the rich ones. If that’s a farmer then good, same for lawyer, teacher, nurse etc.
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what icy weather???? did i miss something apart from 3 snow flakes the other day. And what about tomorrow? heavy rain is now heavy snow???? hello??? who,s telling the truth here?? ican do a weather forcast by looking out the window each morning!!! shorts or unbrella?… simples!
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Sanity 31.
Fireman, nurses, researchers, teachers etc., all hold extremely important jobs which, I’m sure, they didn’t start for the money.
Jobs which take over their lives and affect the time they have to spend with their families and friends…so why should politicians be paid more than these people?
Think about the average day in the life of the average politician and compare it to the average day of an average nurse or young cancer-researcher.
Are the politician’s tasks so much harder?
Does the politician’s performance come under the same microscopic scrutiny?
In my opinion, the answer to both questions is “No”.
And would better pay really attract better people into the realm of politics? I doubt it!
No! Politics should never be allowed to become a profitable activity, in the same way as it should never require any specific qualifications. Politics is not a career, it is a vocation to community life, to serving the public good honourably and dutifully.
At the risk of sounding begrudging, my point is that politicians are very well paid, simply because a bigger honeypot might attract the wrong kinds of bees.
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