Swansea Council working on de-icing Mayhill and Townhill
THE snow and ice remained treacher- ous on some hilly Swansea streets with two schools closed an extra day.
Mayhill and Townhill were among the areas dogged by compacted ice yesterday as low temperatures meant last week's snow had not thawed, but hardened.
Margaret Higgins, 62, of Tan- y-Marian Road, said the pavements and roads off Llewellyn Circle were impassable.
"Cars are sliding all over the place — I'm too frightened to take the car out" she said.
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"The pavements are terrible — pensioners can't walk anywhere. And the grit bin is empty and filled with stones.
"It is like the land that everyone forgot up here."
Her neighbour, who uses a walking stick, said it was "treacherous".
Townhill Community School remained closed yesterday and Dylan Thomas School was only open for year 11s from 11am because of the icy conditions.
Christopher Tonkin, head teacher at Townhill Primary, said: "The caretaker, myself and a school governor worked throughout Monday morning to clear paths and to grit slippery surfaces within the school grounds.
"We were delighted when the council grit teams came and gritted the pavements outside the school for us too."
He added that thanks to everybody's efforts he was hopeful the school would reopen today.
Swansea Council's winter crews have travelled more than 2,500k since the snow fell on Thursday night, treating around half of the road network in the city.
And with the main road network moving, their focus turned to gritting pavements and ensuring children can get back to school.
Hand gritting teams were out and about in areas including Townhill, Tycoch and Hendrefoilan.
Efforts
Carl Humphrey, Head of Streetscene in Swansea Council, said: "Our main priority when we get heavy snow and ice is to ensure main roads are cleared. We cover around 500k each time we treat roads in the city.
"Crews have been working around the clock to keep the city moving.
"We are now focusing our efforts on side streets and have responded to requests from residents to grit individual streets.
"The winter maintenance teams are doing an excellent job, working around the clock when most of the city is fast asleep."
There were no school closures in Neath Port Talbot or Carmarthenshire yesterday.
11 Comments
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by Anon300
Thursday, January 24 2013, 3:29PM
“by bennyhill4 - get a grip and read my comments properly you goon. Its a bus route. The rest of Swansea keep moving from the gritters but Brynrock/Morriston has to suffer. Rather narrow mind aren't you. Moron, however, as the council had advised they had enough grit for the whole of Swansea since my comments the road has been gritted and now Brynrock/Ullswater can move again like the rest of Swansea. How dull and arrogant are some people. You crease me”
by cyclingnomad
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 11:07AM
“Twinkles12 I agree, The fact is there was no snow on the seafront on Friday! this was not due to excessive gritting by the council but that the snow did not settle so close to the sea!
If you saw the footage over the weekend in Scotland where they had over a foot of heavy snow, the community just got on with daily life as they are used to extreme weather every year. Buses ran, shops and schools opened and people got out and cleared pavements themselves. Older people had provisions delivered by neighbours and everyone got on with it! People cannot expect the council to grit EVERY pavement and side road in the city as this would be impossible. Why can't people take some responsibility and clear some ice/snow themselves.
If there is a heatwave do they expect the council to provide sunscreen, bottled cold water and ice creams???”
by twinkles12
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 1:17AM
“Picture 1.
A random youth pictured kneeling on thawed snow with no signs of extreme weather.
Picture 2.
A random car park with melted slush and obvious evidence of workers who managed to bring their cars into work and fill the car park despite the scare of adverse weather.
Picture 3.
A random picture of Victoria Road with no sign of snow.
I ask you SWEP, what in heavens name was your photographer thinking???”
by bennyhill4
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 10:45PM
“annon300, lets divert the gritters from keeping the main roads throughout the city free of ice and send them instead to side streets and cul de sacs.We've all had to put up with slippery pavements and icy side streets,but most of us realise that the workmen cant be in 2 places at the same time and there is only so many hours in a day.Most of us just get on with it not moan about it”
by GowerHooker
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 1:35PM
“In other news..
Residents of Townhill and Mayhill have reported that burglaries have been limited to small items that can be carried on the person since the treacherous weather conditions have limited motorists. A spokesman for South Wales police said "It appears that burglaries in the wider area have been confined to streets where buses are running and large items have not been removed. South Wales Police are working around the clock following footsteps in the snow from Sketty and Derwen Fawr to Town Hill and many from SA1 to Mayhill."”
by Anon300
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 1:13PM
“They haven't been anywhere near Brynrock/Ullswater in Morriston and whilst I appreciate it is a cul de sac it is also a bus route. With being on top of a hill and already having a terrible bus service this really hasn't helped. The road and the pavements are like glass and Swansea Council just don't care. Being an estate full of bungalows its houses alot of elderly who have just been confined to there houses with no way of getting about and even they get down the drive the pavements are horrendous. STILL. Not your problem is it”
by SangriaGirl
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 12:45PM
“Good news that the pavements in some areas are being gritted at last. Pedestrians are important too!
It's also treacherous near Bishop Vaughn School - another area badly affected by ice in Swansea. With a Dr's surgery and 3 schools in the vicinity I'm surprised that no gritting has taken place on the pavements here yet. (We've done outside our house & driveway, but have no salt left to do any more of the pavement).
Will be glad when the warmer weather arrives!”
by Dai_Chotomy
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 11:32AM
“"Christopher Tonkin, head teacher at Townhill Primary, said: "The caretaker, myself and a school governor worked throughout Monday morning"
Frightening, a head teacher! Do you think he meant, "The caretaker, a school governor and I"?”
by bennyhill4
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 10:21AM
“And these are the underworked and over paid workers that some on here rant about whenever the words council workers are mentioned”
by Jiffy
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 10:15AM
“Did they mean teachers-off ?”