Chaos as snow brings roads to a halt

Alex Gore • Published 21 Dec 2009 15:00 42 Comments

Share this

Bus services suspended

HEAVY snowfall brought roads across Berkshire to a grinding halt this afternoon.

Beech Lane in Earley and Sonning Bridge have been closed due to the extreme conditions while traffic in other areas of the town is coming to a standstill as motorists take extra care by slowing down.

Langley Hill in Tilehurst has also closed as motorists abanond their cars.

Traffic in Reading town centre was gridlocked with drivers facing long exasperating delays just to get out of car parks at the Oracle and the Broad Street Mall.

Reading and Newbury bus services were suspended at 3.55pm with the exception of the number 17 Premier service which was operating "erratically"

First Great Western is reporting a good service but South West Trains is experiencing delays of up to one hour due to the poor conditions.

More than 5cm (2ins) of snow is expected to fall throughout the afternoon before turning to sleet and rain overnight.

West Berkshire Council gritting lorries have already been carried out on both the primary and secondary routes during the day.

These are mostly A and B roads, but include well used unclassified routes and vital links between villages.

Council spokesman Phil Spray said: "We are monitoring the conditions and will be treating these roads again as required.

"We currently have around 500 tonnes of grit in our depot with 50 tonnes due tobe delivered this afternoon, 100 tonnes due tomorrow and another 100 tonnes to be delivered on Wednesday.

"Contingency arrangements are available should our supplies drop any further, although this is not being considered at this time."

Mr Spray added: "If you have to make an essential journey then extreme caution is recommended, adjusting to the conditions by reducing your speed and leaving more room between vehicles.

"The weather has also had an impact on rubbish and recycling collections, although these are currently continuing where possible.

"West Berkshire residents are reminded that collections are currently being made a day early to allow for Christmas. The Household Waste Recycling Centre at Newtown Road in Newbury is also currently closed."

Mobile library services are suspended, while Newbury, Burghfield and Wash Common libraries will be closing 5pm rather than the usual 7pm.

* Treacherous conditions have also affected shoppers at the Oracle after a woman slipped on the Cook's Bridge at 2.15pm today. Members of The Oracle team attended to the woman as soon as they were alerted to the fall and she was taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital as a precautionary measure.

*Mrs Iman Bendjedidi contacted The Chronicle to say: "Basingstoke Road is completely at a standstill and people are currently stranded in Morrison's with carpark security ordering people back into the store to wait until the situation improves.

"I have a friend who is currently stranded in Morrison's with her four young boys. She is updating us via Facebook Mobile. They were stuck in the car park for two hours at around 3pm and have now been told to leave their car and go back into Morrison's to wait. They are facing a long wait, possibly another three hours from now."

* Do you have any pictures of the Reading area in the snow? email news@readingchronicle.co.uk

* Has the snow ruined your Christmas plans? email news@readingchronicle.co.uk

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Iman Bendjedidi
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 19:54
Report comment

Just heard again from my friend stranded in Morrison's. Looks like it's gonna be an all-nighter!! And Morrison's aren't handing out any freebie teas and coffees at the moment either :(

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
sam
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 19:56
Report comment

I abandoned my car and walked home - I wonder when things will start looking better so I can go and collect it. Helped push a car and a van on my way home, so many people struggling!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Howard Thomas
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 19:57
Report comment

This is all about West Berkshire council who appear to be trying at least. And Reading Borough council have done what exactly????

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Barry
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 20:01
Report comment

Snow finally does what Reading Borough Council have been trying to do for years - bring the town to a standstill. (Sat in car in Portman Rd and Oxford Rd for one and a half hours - bu****hink I got off lightly compared to others). Why weren't the police organising filtering at roundabouts etc?

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Barry
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 20:03
Report comment

That was just "bu****hink". What's going on with the software at the Chronicle (affected by the snow?).

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Barry
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 20:05
Report comment

Ah, I get it now, the software thinks that is the upper part of the female body!!! Fill in the missing letters with t, I, t.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Iman Bendjedidi
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 20:13
Report comment

Just heard again from my friend stranded in Morrison's. Looks like it's gonna be an all-nighter!! And Morrison's aren't handing out any freebie teas and coffees at the moment either :(

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Annie
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 20:18
Report comment

Where were Wokingham Borough Council when all of this was happening - told to leave early because of the snow. Thanks for your help. NOTTT!!!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
sam
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 20:29
Report comment

Police were directing traffic at the Waitrose mini-roundabout in Caversham. I've heard a lot about RBC's 'emergency meeting', but not what was decided!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Iman Bendjedidi
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 21:19
Report comment

Just heard again from my friend stranded in Morrison's. Looks like it's gonna be an all-nighter!! And Morrison's aren't handing out any freebie teas and coffees at the moment either :(

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Matt Jay
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 23:43
Report comment

Wot a nitemare, and no mention of those stuck in burghfield and mortimer and the surrounding villages, They are near enough snowed in and the roads are just ice rinks.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
localgirl
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 23:44
Report comment

Traffic in Reading town centre is finally starting to move, and Police are stationed at the Oracle roundabout and other junctions to stop the idiots who don't know how to drive in the snow. There are loads of cars abandoned on the sides of Bridge Street, Fobney Street actually in the middle of the Oracle Roundabout!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
KG
Unregistered User
Dec 21, 23:53
Report comment

Just home having left the NCP Broad St Car Park at half 7. Gave up the first attempt at 4pm when people were waiting for 2 hours to get out of the car park. Roads diabolical so only made it to Prospect Park. So many good chaps out there on the roads pushing people up hills etc - personal thanks to a lovely bunch of people in the road where I left my car - lovely mulled wine and comfort stop before the long walk home to Tilehurst. the gritters can get out and sort the roads out so we can all go and pick up our abandoned vehicles soon.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
alex martin
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 00:27
Report comment

My girlfriend and I have just got home in Coley Park after leaving work at 4 and 5pm! My car is now stuck in snow in the car park looking abandoned! Good luck to all of those still out there, especially near Tilehurst. Also, great to see the HUGE amount of community spirit around Berks with assitance everywhere from local residnets and those that have abandoned their vehicles!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Thomas Charles
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 00:52
Report comment

Special mention to RedRoute Parking Enforcement for clamping the abandoned vehicles left on the Holybrook estate alongside the Oracle. What idiots.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
angered
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 03:50
Report comment

my parents in thier 50s made a shopping trip to costco before the snow got too heavy and when they werent even able to leave the car park they made the decision to make the long walk home back to prospect park! some idiot barged past my mum and knocked her flying! shes suffering at home in silence bu****hink people should show more respect and not just whilst driving!

i myself am snowed in at the tilehurst triangle with my daughter and my partner cant leave for his chauffeur job until he digs his car out of the 10 inches of snow! luckily... he got to asda and back before the snow started falling!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Barry
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 08:32
Report comment

Surely the police will step in and order the clamps removed on the cars parked at the Holybrook flats? Crazy. Just tried RBC website but the info is old (Dec 16th!). Radio107 is giving out lots of info though.

When all of this is done, is there going to be a local inquiry as to why the Met Office didn't issue a severe weather warning? Then everyone could have left for home at lunchtime when the snow started. My sister left work at 3.00 in Elgar Road and got home in Southcote at 10.15 - only after abandoning her car at Matalan.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Nikki
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 09:12
Report comment

It took my Dad from Caversham Cemetary, to the Hilton (out near Madejski) 5h30 to collect my mum who had ended up walking there from The Oracle. They waited at the hotel for it all to calm down, leaving at about 9pm, they got home at 1am this morning. It took them 1hour from the old Foster Wheeler to Asda!!!!!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
It Snow Good
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 09:14
Report comment

Big Thanks to the Berkely Avenue Crew, Helping Push Cars up The hill last night And Digging Away the Ice.

Can't Wait to hear the Excuses, I Mean Reasons, As to why the roads had been allowed to get in that condition.

Morrisons (whitley) to Water Road/Dee Road Area Took 5 1/2 Hours!!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
localgirl
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 09:47
Report comment

The police said cars could only be abandoned where they were not blocking the highway. Some of the cars left in the Holybrook estate were in downright dangerous positions so it serves them right. However I didn't see any of the clamping vehicles after about 4pm and don't see how they could possibly have got through so its likely they were clamped in the morning before chaos ensued.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
samuel chatterton
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 10:10
Report comment

I can't say I blame the council completely - if it took us all by surprise, it probably took them by surprise too, and once the traffic was built up then gritting wasn't much of an option.

Maybe they should have been doing more before, true, but it's hard to imagine the gritters were just sat at the depot doing nothing - or maybe I should imagine harder!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Outside Looking In
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 10:13
Report comment

I am no apologist for local councils, but I can't believe the whingers on here who are adamant that it is all the council's fault for anything that ever happens. Salting and gritting has to be one of the most difficult procedures for any authority to deal with, as the timing is critical for it to work and even then if fresh or wet snow arrives it can be washed away in a matter of a couple of hours.

And nobody is going to tell me that all the car journeys on the roads yesterday were essential!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Thomas Charles
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 10:33
Report comment

@ Localgirl, I watched the Holybrook clampers at 2200 last night clamping vehciles. Rang Thames Valley Police to express my concern at the lack of consideration being shown by RedRoute but can't imagine anything came of it. They certainly weren't clamped in the morning like you suggested.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Earley Riser
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 11:32
Report comment

@Thomas. I'm with you on this one. You would have thought that the Christmas Spirit would come through at times like this. Redroute Parking Enforcement should think about their actions.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
localgirl
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 11:33
Report comment

Crikey if the cars were safely parked that is pretty out of order. Can't believe they braved the traffic to come out and do that. I would suggested affected drivers complain to the management company as well as the clampers.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
******
Dec 22, 13:04
Report comment

This comment has been removed by a moderator
Barry
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 13:12
Report comment

Ref the comment on the council above; It all depends if they knew it was coming or not. I heard the forecast in the morning and they definitely didn't say anything about severe snow. If RBC got the same message then no one can blame them, as to send out gritters once gridlock had happened would have been pointless. However, RBC is in constant communication with the Met Office regarding severe weather as they have an emergency procedure. So, did they know, or not?...

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Daniel
Unregistered User
Dec 22, 17:30
Report comment

I live on the Holybrook Estate and when I finally managed to get back there yesterday after a 12 hour journey through Berkshire, I was shocked to see a row of abandoned vehicles, all with clamps on them. This was especially nasty after, on the way home, I'd seen so many examples of people helping out and supporting each other. But all Redroutes saw was the chance to make a quick buck out of people in trouble. Honestly, what a horrible company.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
angered
Unregistered User
Dec 23, 00:30
Report comment

ive made a post here before about my parents having to walk from costco to prospect park...

i dont blame the council or anyone! neither do my family! it was indeed the perfect storm! last minute xmas shoppers getting home before the snowfall and traffic got too bad and people being let out of work early would ensure traffic issues and therefore not allowing the gritters to do the job they were supposed to do! nobody is to blame and the fact that we have NEVER had this amount of snow fall in such a small time frame in over 50 years (maybe more) should give some indication that people did what thier instincts told them to and that was dump ur car safely and walk on home or somewhere warm!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Brian
Unregistered User
Dec 23, 08:26
Report comment

The council has not gritted secondary routes. The secondary routes marked on their map http://www.reading.gov.uk/Documents/transport_streets/200910winter_gritting_shedule.pdf have not been gritted. For example Oakley Road and Hunters Chase are covered in snow and ice. Also Church Road/Woodcote Road are impassable and these are PRIMARY routes. Reading council has done a first class job of LYING and sitting around on their backsides as Reading grinds to a halt - they are criminally negligent and should be locked up.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
******
Dec 23, 13:11
Report comment

This comment has been removed by a moderator
Thomas Charles
Unregistered User
Dec 23, 13:31
Report comment

For anyone clamped on the Holybrook estate, the management company to complain to is Peveral OM.

The website of the clamping company, RedRoute, is redroute.info. The guy who runs the company as a sole trader is called Richard Rippon.

I could practically see the clamper rubbing his hands together with glee - he knew he was earning his Christmas bonus then and there. Horrible, horrible man. What really irks me is the lack of common sense and decency shown by RedRoute. A 24 hour grace period would not have been much to ask. One can only imagine their frustration at not being able to make a quick buck out of all the stranded & abandoned vehicles on the public roads their 'operative' would undoubtedly have had to weave in between of on his way into the Holybrook estate.

Anyone clamped can appeal... but only to RedRoute. One can only imagine the lack of transparency associated with such a process.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Earley Riser
Unregistered User
Dec 23, 18:57
Report comment

Great stuff Thomas. I've sent e-mails to these people suggesting they report this story:

mobrien at berksmedia.co.uk : Maurice O'Brien news editor for the Reading Chroniclernlinda.fort at reading-epost.co.uk : Linda Fort chief reporter for the Evening Post

steve.tolley at bbc.co.uk : Steve Tolley news editor for BBC South TodayrnThis is a story that should be reported so that any one wrongly clamped as a consequence of this can get some media support and get their money back. I'd also like to ask anyone who wants to help to contact these people as well to suggest the story be reported on.

I don't drive myself so haven't been affected bu****hink it's disgusting and RedRoute should apologise.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Thomas Charles
Unregistered User
Dec 23, 20:55
Report comment

I have started a website for all those affected at http://redrouteclamping.wordpress.com.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
performance man
Unregistered User
Dec 23, 21:37
Report comment

The snow/ice is a great example of how people panic in such extreme conditions. I have seen comments on how people were annoyed about being stuck in traffic and how they are trying to blame it on other people.

I would just like to let everyone know that while people were in their cars with their heating on (even if they were sat in traffic for 4hours+) that there were people such as the police who were working around the clock in reading to try and keep traffic moving as safely and as quickly as possible. I think the only people who arent complaining are the people who were stood in the snow with a temperature of

-1*.

People are always looking to others for an answer. If this sort of weather happens again, i think people should be aware of how to drive in such conditions. For example, if you are driving to keep your revs low, dont stop the car and if your a moving from a still position, to start in 2nd gear!

I was on my way home at 1am Tuesday morning and just before i ventured up the hill going up into caversham park village, there was a 'check point' at the bottom. Two gentleman were there, one of them was an AA engineer and the other was a resident who wanted to do his bit.

Community people like that are what still keeps this country a float.

I was trying to push my car out of an icey situation today and one guy was jsut standing in a bus stop.....watching myeslf and two otehr struggle......THANKS MATE!!!

People need to realise that extreme situations arent going to sort themselves out, thats why we call them EXTREME!!

So as a couple of people have already said....STOP COMPLAINING! (It could have been worse)

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Earley Riser
Unregistered User
Dec 24, 09:39
Report comment

I've had an e-mail from Councillor Gareth Epps saying he's willing to try and help anyone who has been clamped as a consequence of having to abandon their car. He can be contacted on:

katesgrovelibdems at hotmail.co.uk

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Reading Chronicle
Unregistered User
Dec 24, 10:14
Report comment

Developments on the clamping story in today's Reading Chronicle, page 4. (Dec 24 edition)

Email James Kell on jkell@berksmedia.co.uk with your views.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
REDROUTE
Unregistered User
Dec 24, 14:54
Report comment

Redroute are not in the business of persecuing motorists but are determined to protect the rights of those who have a legitimate right to park and if someone stole your tv you would not dream of stealing from someone else so why steal another's parking space; after all they faced the same traffic and road conditions which was worsened by the fact that when they returned home their parking space was occupied by an unauthorised vehicle.

It is of course noteworthy that the overwhelming majority of motorists respected the parking rights of others to which we are grateful.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
REDROUTE
Unregistered User
Dec 24, 15:27
Report comment

The facts of the case are that Redroute are not parking space providers but that of parking space protectors.

For the record over 500 permits are in circulation for residents and visitors in the area in question to which we ensure that those who park within the schemes policies have available parking where possible at all times of the day and night.

On the day in question we received calls from permit holders who had also been victims of the weather; their plight was however made worse by the fact that when they did eventually arrive home after being stuck in the traffic for several hours they faced the added misery of finding their lawful entitlement to park outside their own homes abused by the mindless minority of motorists who had no thought for others.

We are of course not entirely sure why the roads were not gritted or why the Council and/or Police did not have contingency plans in place to deal with parking on the grounds it was obvious that it would only add to the chaos if no such consideration was given to our permit holders' lawful rights. Notwithstanding;

We are willing to work with the Council and Police with the view of the Council hearing any appeals to which it is our proposal that any successful appellant be refunded equally by the Council, Police and Redroute; after all had the Coucil and Police acted proficiently in gritting and keeping the roads clear such matters would not have arisen.

The Council and Police could of course fund such payments not from public money but from that of the money they receive from parking and motoring fines.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
redroute
Unregistered User
Dec 25, 14:13
Report comment

Dear Mr Charles

Whilst you blog with vengeance what you are not aware of is the fact that Redroute recently citizen arrested a perpetrator who was vandalising vehicles and property on the development known as Holybrook.

The apprehension of this criminal resulted in Mr Rippon being off work for 4 months as a result of an injury which he sustained whilst detaining this person to the ground until such times as several police officers arrived and formally arrested him. This was a non-clamping incident to which if it was not for the actions of Redroute it could have been your vehicle and property which was vandalised.

You are also not aware that as a result of Redroute's actions in immobilising a vehicle on the same development an arrest warrant is out for a person who portrayed himself as an innocent motorist, regrettably we are unable to comment further on this case like many other incidents to which it is noteworthy that only as recent as last week the caring attitude of Redroute's people resulted in another male being detained as a result of an warrant out for his arrest.

From what we understand you are more fortunate than other residents since you have two allocated spaces which are attached to your property and as such the risk of parking abuse is relatively low in your case to which we understand that you would prefer to have no clamping because it matters not to you if someone else's parking is abused as you are relatively secure.

It has also been brought to our notices that your disgruntlement with Redroute is not because of the quality of Redroute's services but because we would not give you preferential treatment when we caught your guest parking without a permit to which we make no apologies in ensuring that there is a fair and even distribution and turnover of available parking spaces for all the residents and visitors who park within the schemes policies.

Redroute

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
REDROUTE
Unregistered User
Jan 2, 13:57
Report comment

Mr Charles

Lives at 31 Waterside Gardens in the knowledge that he can park 2 vehicles outside his front door. It does not matter to him if other residents can park at all, but it matters to us.

Our conscience is clear to which we have advised Mr Charles on more than one occasion that he cannot have more rights than others and there is nothing that he can say or write that will change our view.

Regards

REDROUTern

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Another Holybrook Resident
Unregistered User
Feb 7, 16:41
Report comment

My tale of last night: I arrived home in the Holybrook development last night at just past 20:30 after a long day out. My 20-month-old daughter normally eats at 18:30 and bedtime is at 19:30, but we were delayed and she fell asleep in the car before we could stop for dinner, so we just continued on home. Just as we turn onto Swan Place, she wakes up and soon starts crying. So I hurriedly park outside our building, and took her inside to put her in her cot. She was wide awake by then, and amidst her tears said she wanted to eat. The car is my aunt's -- we borrowed it that morning, so I had to get the permit from inside anyway.

I didn't think I was more than 5 minutes inside, but it might have been longer. I went out and put the permit on the dashboard, although with a number of things on my mind, wasn't paying attention to what I was doing. I warmed some soup for my daughter, but don't remember if that was before or after I went back out with the permit.

At about 21:20 I went out to go to Tesco and saw the clamping notice on the passenger side window. I called Redroute and told them they had clamped me despite my permit. They sent their guy-in-the-van out, who arrived by 21:40. He was certain the permit hadn't been there and showed me a photo taken at 20:40 or so of the dashboard with nothing on it. He insists he waited 10 minutes before clamping. He asks me to prove I am a resident by unlocking the door to our building, and then gives me the good news -- since I am a resident I "only" have to pay the lowest rate of £165 to have the clamp removed.

So my guess -- either (a) I was inside longer than 10-15 minutes, and didn't notice the clamping notice when I put the permit on the dashboard, or (b) they took the photo when I was first inside (and took the photos), I went back out with my permit, and then they clamped.

In either case, when they returned to the car following my call, I had presented my permit, demonstrated I was a resident, and explained that I was taking care of my 20-month-old for the few minutes that the car was parked without a permit on display. But I had to pay (and they even suggested that I needed to pay so that they could call off the tow truck that was coming to tow the car). With my wife and daughter flying from Heathrow the next morning, I had no choice but to pay up, which entailed walking to a cash machine on Broad Street to get £165 (since they can't take cheques or credit cards "at that hour").

Very professional company, indeed! If you ask me, they are definitely looking out for the good of themselves rather than the good of the community.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
pumps100
Unregistered User
Jan 5, 17:35
Report comment

By the way Mr Rippon ex Redroute is now a bankrupt but his wife runs another company Patrol Parking - their son or relation unlawfully clamped me near Forbury Industrial Park on Sunday 2nd January. See more on this family from hell!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1323967/Motorist-thrown-floor-confronting-clamper-tried-impound-car.html

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
pumps100
Unregistered User
Jan 5, 17:37
Report comment

By the way Mr Rippon ex Redroute is now a bankrupt but his wife runs another company Patrol Parking - their son or relation unlawfully clamped me near Forbury Industrial Park on Sunday 2nd January. See more on this family from hell!

Search the daily mail or Bournemouth papers for Motorist-thrown-floor-confronting-clamper-tried-impound-car

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Follow @rdgchronicle