Black ice terror for commuters

Motorists were left slipping and sliding across the borough this morning after more subzero conditions left roads covered in deadly black ice.

Drivers struggled to keep their cars on the road in some spots during the rush hour, while the majority faced queues as they struck to the main routes gritted by council workers.

Rotherham Borough Council announced last Thursday that it no longer planned to grit side roads, with only main roads and bus routes to be treated on a regular basis.

And temperatures hovering around zero this morning made driving trickier than ever.

Sheep Lane in High Melton was closed between Melton Road and Brand Lane this morning after an accident, while travel experts warned of hazardous driving conditions on the A6123 on Herringthorpe Valley Road and ice on the A631 East Bawtry Road.

In Kent Avenue, Rawmarsh, sheet ice on a hill led to two crashes, one involving two cars and the other a collision between a car and minibus carrying children.

Side and estate roads were also turned to ice rinks, leaving motorists running the risk of crashing or slipping off the road.

One shaken driver, who battled icy conditions on the Woodlaithes Village estate, said: “Because the estate has had very little, if any, grit and is a maze of bends and inclines, it was impossible to make it safely to any of the main roads.

“I lost control on a bend, span onto the opposite side of the road and hit the kerb and was fortunate not to hit other vehicles.

“Once I had got off the estate, I was met with standing traffic throughout Wickersley and along East Bawtry Road.

“I appreciate that the council has to have priorities but lives are being put at risk all the while roads are not being gritted.”

Meanwhile, residents in Stag were grateful to Streetpride workers who gave them helping hand in getting off their sloping driveways by spreading grit by hand.