These Dorset roads are still open despite snow

Despite snow continuing to fall through the night, the highway network that Dorset County Council treats to clear snow and ice is fully passable. 

Some routes should to be approached with care, especially on higher ground and steeper slopes. The B3157 coast road and B3143 (Piddle Valley) need particular care in places. As more traffic uses the network, driving conditions should improve.

At 8am, the latest report from the county council's winter maintenance crews is that the following roads are open but should be used with care:

•    A354 Portland to Dorchester. Clear. Passable with care.
•    A354 Dorchester to Blandford. Clear. Passable with care.
•    A352 Clear. Passable with care.
•    A351 Ploughing in progress.
•    A37 Dorchester to Yeovil. Clear
•    A356 Clear
•    A3066 Clear
•    B 3157 Coast Road. Ploughed Passable with extreme care
•    B3143 Ploughed. Passable with extreme care.
•    C12 Higher Shaftesbury Road. Ploughed
•    A35 Bere Regis to Poole. Passable with care

Salting crews have worked hard throughout the night and new crews are on standby this morning to clear any drifting snow on the treated network. 

The council will be treating a list of roads off the main salting network late this afternoon to connect communities with the treated network and support the opening of rural schools as early as possible.

The forecast for today is for the snow to die out through the morning. Temperatures will remain very cold at around freezing. We expect a cold night tonight so the primary risk today and tomorrow will be ice on the road network. There is a low risk of further snow showers on Friday.

Unfortunately, the council have experienced some problems with the closed services pages of http://www.dorsetforyou.comwebsite this morning. Keep checking http://www.dorsetforyou.com/winter and listen to local radio stations and media websites for updates about schools and other services.