Unregistered User
1 December 2010
18:2582591Latest weather update from KCC Emergency Planning
Covers ALL Kent
Good afternoon
The weather situation and forecast is not favourable at present. Snow is going to continue to fall over the next 48 hours with similar amounts as today 5-10cm possibly 20cm over higher ground heading South West - it will become colder with strong winds and drifting is expected. Weather conditions will compound problems particularly in the North West of the County. It is predicted that rush hour will start early this afternoon with businesses and schools closing early. Additionally, high winds along the English Channel are also forecast and as a result, Operation Stack (Phase 1) is now in force between J11 and J12 of the M20.
Train services are severely disrupted across the county with info on this being posted on the South-eastern railways website. key details as follows:
State of the network at 1300
High Speed services between London St Pancras, Ashford, Canterbury and Ramsgate and also London St Pancras, Gravesend, the Medway Towns, Faversham and Ramsgate are operating normally and non high speed tickets are being passed on these services.
Suspended routes
· Orpington to Sevenoaks
· Tonbridge to Hastings via Tunbridge Wells
· Strood to Paddock Wood via Maidstone West
· Sheerness to Sittingbourne
· Elmers End to Hayes
· Swanley to Rochester
· Through north/south services via Thameslink
Network Rail and Southeastern engineers are working to re-open the main line between Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, between Tonbridge and Hastings and between Swanley and Rochester. This is a priority.
A special service every 90 minutes from London Bridge via East Croydon and Redhill has been put in place in order to maintain a link with Tonbridge.
Half hour shuttle services are operating between:
· Tonbridge and Ashford
· London Victoria, Maidstone East and Ashford
· London to Dartford via Greenwich
· London to Dartford via Sidcup
· London to Dartford via Bexleyheath
· London to Orpington
Hourly shuttle service are operating between:
· Dover and Faversham via Canterbury East
· Dover to Ramsgate via Deal
Replacement buses have been deployed to cover suspended routes but their operation is erratic due to the local road conditions.
Our engineers are also having extreme difficulty getting to remote trackside locations and failed trains because of the road conditions.
"Ghost trains" will continue to operate during the night in order to keep routes open and de-icing train will operate throughout the network spraying the conductor rail in order to prevent ice forming.
In general, the other multi-agency partners report that things are difficult, but systems are coping if somewhat reduced in some areas. All hospitals are at capacity but coping. Gritting regimes are well in place with the Highways Agency, KHS and Medway, dealing with regular gritting patterns and "on demand" needs as required. It is difficult to manage customer expectation as response times can be adversely affected by congestion and the weather conditions. The Dartford Crossing is being monitored closely as a pinch-point, and checks are being made on both Sheppey crossings. As you can imagine, there are sporadic road closures and accidents that are compounding problems.
From a KCC emergency response viewpoint, we have been monitoring the situation and assisting with calls for 4x4 support. Additionally, our Warden service is monitoring the situation at the local level and providing support and information as necessary. Looking ahead, we plan to make similar rest centre/refuge centre contingency arrangements available in case of gridlock. We will continue to staff the CEC into the evening to ensure that the night time situation and demands are clear and secured.
Media messaging is being coordinated by the Police with KCC playing its part. We have voiced a view that specific messaging should be targeted at HGV drivers, as these vehicles compound problems when they are involved in a road traffic incident. Some excellent Knet and kent.gov.uk info is available, which signposts to the right sources of info.
Contact centre call loads are higher than normal (by 37%) but the centre is coping well. Most calls related to enquiries about gritting routes, school closures and checking if evening adult education classes are still running. KCC critical functions appear to to be operating well, and specific measures to support key social care activities are in place. 132 schools fully closed mainly in Dartford, Gravesham, Tunbridge Wells, Swanley, Sevenoaks Maidstone and Canterbury. Several schools had already decided to close early and further disruption will increase throughout the day. Kent Facilities are assisting with building continuity and the provision of identifying spare desks within the buildings they manage.
The next SCG is at 16:00, the next KCC Silver meeting is at 17:00.
Our focus points for today are as follows:
* Continue to send out regular updates to senior staff
* Continue to update and monitor the weather and travel situation, and the impact to Kent
* Consider our working into this evening and ensure that we are satisfied with our emergency response, including 4x4 support.
* Consider the necessity for standing by of strategically located rest centres
* Ensure consistent media messaging with partners.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
1 December 2010
18:2882593Thank you for that, please let me know about FRIDAY.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
1 December 2010
18:2982594thanks for that excellent update paul.
heard earlier that jackknifing trucks were causing severe problems on kent's roads.
surely the message has to be only go out if you really need to.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
1 December 2010
18:3582597Useful thanks Paul - the big question for me is will I make my breakfast meeting in Canterbury at 6am Friday???? Somehow I doubt it.... !#*#* weather......
1 December 2010
18:5182601Thank you Paul - much appreciated.
Guest 707- Registered: 1 Dec 2010
- Posts: 75
1 December 2010
19:3182609just to let you know i'ts started snowing again in Hawkinge.
Guest 694- Registered: 22 Mar 2010
- Posts: 778
1 December 2010
19:3382610thanks Paul, think i am going to get to Dover but maybe not be able to get back ..
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
1 December 2010
20:3282635Snow is now settling on the previously gritted London Road, whilst cars are still moving obviously we are starting to get temperatures down to where salt looses its effectiveness
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 707- Registered: 1 Dec 2010
- Posts: 75
1 December 2010
20:3382637OMG..If expletives were allowed on this forum i would be turning the air blue. It's very white out there It's really nasty out there.. Well it is up here on tthe high ground. I hope spittfire way, alkham valley and temle ewell is clear for me to get to work tomorrow.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
1 December 2010
20:3882639snowing at cliffy hieghts started to lay on the side roads but main road is clear.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
1 December 2010
20:5082648London Road is now down to 2 sets of tramlines
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
1 December 2010
22:5282683Serve weather warning for dover 2 feet of snow
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
1 December 2010
23:2182692i used to go out with a woman like that alan.
on the plus side i never needed an umbrella.
1 December 2010
23:2782693I'm living with one like that, thanks Howard
Guest 652- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 595
2 December 2010
07:5582707Belgrave Road has Ambulance stuck on road, all bollarded off, front all smacked up, blocking road
2 December 2010
08:1382708It's bad, folks. Whitfield Hill is closed and any less than urgent travel would be very risky. My garden, near Connaught Park, is obliterated by snow! am working from home and glad to have that option. But it does look magical! The sky is bright and heavy at the same time with a misty lilac glow. Fab.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
2 December 2010
08:4582716Shame about that ambulance Sheila - for both the patient and the ambulance and paramedics; also I guess for the other road users around there - hope the ambulance wans't for you Howard.
Cars are moving very slowly up the Folkestone Road, so it can't be that clear; the paper-boy has just brought the papers, so well done to him.
Last year (when I was DBS Manager) and we had those 3 lots of snow around Christmas and New Year, I put on my big boots and warm coat and walked down to Town to see if the businesses were O.K. or needed help - it was very much appreciated by them to think that someone cared enough to do that.
Roger
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
2 December 2010
08:5882719Well done Paul with original post...very good stuff there and from all.
Here are the seafront roads a few mintues ago. As officialdom says...dont venture out unless your journey is really necessary
Jubilee Way looks like a very very cautious skating rink. neither the gritting or the anti freeze spray seems to have worked terribly well...but then most things were just overcome by the sheer volume of the white stuff
2 December 2010
09:1082720Finally we get some good snow! im off to build a snowman
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,897
2 December 2010
09:3082732Glad you are happy Melissa. I are now housebound because of the bl...y stuff, much too dangerous underfoot for this oldie.
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