Suffolk's white canvas
VIDEO SUFFOLK awoke to a covering of the snow today causing schools to shut and commuters to slip and slide into work. As predicted the county was covered with a blanket of the white stuff by the time the majority rose from their slumbers.
SUFFOLK awoke to a covering of the snow today causing schools to shut and commuters to slip and slide into work.
As predicted the county was covered with a blanket of the white stuff by the time the majority rose from their slumbers.
Suffolk County Council's gritting team helped keep the main roads in the county clear overnight but many struggled with the smaller roads, along with pedestrians and cyclists.
There was also congestion including tailbacks on the Colchester-bound carriageway of the A12, tailing back from Chelmondiston to Copdock.
Suffolk police said early morning patrols around Ipswich proved the majority of drivers had cleaned windscreens and were driving at lower speeds.
Acting Sergeant Barry Humm said: “They've adjusted their driving to the conditions which is good to see. It is often when there is ice on the roads that drivers don't realise they need to take extra precautions and carry on at normal speeds.”
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However, there were a few accidents because of the snow. At 8.30am a transit van rolled onto its side in Great Wenham Lane, Capel St Mary, but no one was seriously injured.
At 7.55am, on the road between Stoke-by-Nayland and Thorington Street, a driver received minor injuries after a car went onto its side.
And at 8am, a BMW skidded on ice and went into a field on the A1071 at Hadleigh. The male driver was unhurt.
Around 8.40am a Golf car between the dock spur roundabout and the town's docks skidded into the central reservation.
In Felixstowe, it was a mixture of snow, sleet and rain, with very little laying on the wet roofs and roads.
Met Office experts said the snow was due to keep falling in Ipswich until around 9pm tonight, but tomorrow is predicted to a snow-free zone.
More than 60 schools were shut across Suffolk as the snow fell countywide, including Kesgrave High School, Ipswich's Northgate, Westbourne and Copleston high schools, East Bergholt High School and Holbrook High School.
A spokesman for the Local Education Authority, Suffolk County Council, said: “Headteachers have to decide early in the day whether or not to close the school.
“This morning it started snowing at about 6.30am and headteachers have to decide whether it is likely to continue all day. The will consider whether the conditions will make access to the school extremely difficult.”
The spokesman said likely staffing levels would be a consideration of whether the school closes or not.