Big freeze loosens grip on the North East

Jan 12 2010 by Kim Carmichael, The Journal

THE North East made its first steps back to normality yesterday as the big freeze loosened its grip on the region.

Hundreds of children returned to the classroom for the first time since Christmas as most schools reopened after the freezing weather caused many to close last week.

Although the arctic conditions have started to ease, some schools were still forced to remain closed after problems caused by the bad weather began to surface.

At North Park Primary, in Spennymoor, parents were asked yesterday morning to return to school to collect their children urgently due to a major boiler problem, while at Ryton Community Infant School, pupils were turned away after a water main burst. Sir Charles Parsons School in Newcastle will remain closed until the end of the week due to essential boiler maintenance, while heating problems in East Stanley School and Dr Tomlinson C of E Middle School in Rothbury forced pupils to stay at home.

Last week’s plummeting temperatures saw gritting limited to major roads in most areas as salt stocks fell but Transport Secretary Lord Adonis yesterday assured motorists that plans were in place to deal with further bad weather, saying that there are “substantial additional supplies on which we can rely.” He said the Highways Agency had placed large orders for imports of salt which should start arriving towards the end of the month.

In the North East, North Tyneside Council has 1,400 tonnes of rock salt in reserve – enough for 20 days of normal winter weather conditions. Northumberland County Council is due for a 5,000-tonne salt delivery, while Newcastle Council received fresh supplies of 250 tonnes.

Gateshead Council is running low on grit but has more on order with measures in place to conserve stocks for priority routes. The Met Office last night said that it expected continuing cold and cloudy conditions for the North East, with the weather set to become increasingly windy. There will be sleet and snow over higher ground but most of it light.

Maximum temperatures in the region are expected to reach 3°C.