Stagecoach buses are unable to run several routes on the isle today (February 8) because of dangerous driving conditions.
Much of the road network across the isle is icy and yesterday saw several stuck vehicles, a lorry in Broadstairs and a bus and lorry in Ramsgate, as well as, in Dane Valley,a car rolled down Addiscombe Road and hit a wall.
Police were also called to a multi-vehicle collision at 7.40pm,
Officers attended the scene on Brooksend Hill, Birchington. No injuries were reported. The road was closed in order to recover vehicles and was open again at around 10.20pm.
Video Dante Luca
Kent County Council says primary routes were gritted at the weekend. The gritting map shows many Thanet roads as primary routes but according to motorist difficulties yesterday the roads do not appear to have been salted.
The authority says more primary routes have been treated overnight and this morning and work will continue throughout the day and evening.
Stagecoach is unable to serve Stanley Rd, Lanthorne Rd, Knights Ave, Nethercourt Estate or Downs Road / Minster Road, The Silvers and Sherwood Gardens.
Waste and recycling collections have also been postponed today. Thanet council says: “Due to poor weather conditions, waste & recycling collections have been suspended.
The covid testing site at the car park by Dreamland is also closed today. Anyone booked in for today will receive a text or email letting them know and asking them to rebook as soon as it reopens. Asymptomatic testing at The Centre, Birchington, is open until 4pm.
“We’ll assess conditions tomorrow morning but, in the meantime, please leave your bins / containers & and we’ll collect them as soon as we can.”
Pavements are also icy with several people reported to have slipped and been in need of treatment in Broadstairs High Street by Rooks. A warning has also been issued for drivers to take extra care on Tothill Street in Minster.
#Snow continuing to fall around #Kent this morning. If needing to travel please take extra care & drive to the conditions. All @GrittingKent primary routes being treated & can be viewed at https://t.co/XOwJBMG10k#KentWinter #KentSnow
— KCC Highways (@KentHighways) February 8, 2021
County Councillor for Margate Barry Lewis says he has lodged an official complaint with the authority about the lack of gritting.
We are all paying inflated rates increases, we all knew that this was coming, so why aren’t all our roads gritted we pay more for less 😠
They have more ‘important’ things to spend money on-like the Turner Gallery & People Dem Collective.
+1
The smaller roads should have been gritted here in Palm Bay
There were no roads gritted locally. Not even Northdown Road, still not! Pavements have been left also. All the spin by Kent Highways on the news saying they were ready with 26 trucks loaded up but then nothing. Typical UK never ready. It’s a good job we don’t get much snow here in Thanet as we would be stuck and forgotten about.
In Ramsgate, at least Herson Road, King St, Boundary Rd, Victoria Rd, Plains of Waterloo, Harbour St and the High St had been done by 09:00 this morning.