Ice warning as cold weather bites
Motorists were warned to expect icy roads overnight with thermometers forecast to drop to as low as –6C in some areas of Devon and Cornwall.
Devon County Council was salting its entire network for the first time since last winter. Its gritters were out from 6pm yesterday, treating around 1,650 miles on all of the county's 48 salting routes. Further inspections will be carried out early this morning.
Coun Stuart Hughes, Cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: "After the torrential rain we've just had, ice could be a problem in some areas. This is the first real cold snap we've had so it's worth remembering that even on roads that have been salted, ice can still form."
The weekend deluge continued to take its toll yesterday. The driver of this car, pictured, escaped unhurt when it careered off a road into a swollen drainage causeway near Burnham-on-Sea, North Somerset.
Similar action was last night being taken by Cornwall Council, which is responsible for more than 4,530 miles of road from major routes to narrow country lanes.
Graeme Hicks, Cabinet member for highways, said: "Public safety is always of paramount concern and we do everything we can to provide as safe a passage as possible for users of the highway.
"This is an extremely important part of the council's highways service and about £1 million a year is spent on keeping roads open and safe during the winter."
As the region braced itself for the cold snap, it emerged that some areas of storm-hit Britain suffered one of the wettest-ever Novembers.
The month has already had the fifth highest amount of rainfall on record – and is set to climb further.
Flood-ravaged Cumbria's 58-year November record of 10.5 inches (267mm) was smashed in 24 hours earlier in the month, with the latest total now more than 12.4 inches (316.7mm).
Up until November 24, Cornwall endured 6.6 inches (167.8mm) of rain, 20 per cent above average, and Devon 7.5 inches (189.9mm), up 46 per cent.
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