MOTORISTS experienced traffic misery yesterday after an articulated lorry overturned on the M65 blocking all three lanes.

The motorway was shut for several hours and drivers were told to find alternative routes as recovery workers tried to clear the carriageway.

The driver of the HGV, which belonged to Austrian haulage company Trawöger Transport, escaped the crash with minor cuts and bruises.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The smash, which happened between junctions five for Guide and four for Darwen on the westbound carriageway at around 2pm, was just one of several that caused problems for road users as vehicles struggled to cope with the icy and snowy conditions.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Despite gritters taking to the roads throughout the night before, motorists continued to experience very difficult driving conditions throughout the day.

Highways bosses put the problems down to the salt, which needs vehicle tyres to activate it, not being properly ‘mixed’ with the ice.

Motorists reported long delays as commuters struggled to cope with the flurries which fell right through the morning rush period.

The Grane Road had to be shut because of the treacherous conditions, with people travelling on the M66 and A56 reporting stranded cars and vehicles queuing nose to tail.

A car overturned in Red Lees Road, in Cliviger, shortly after 7am in an accident involving two vehicles. The road had to be shut until recovery could be arranged and traffic backed up along Glen View Road.

Officers were also forced to shut Long Causeway from the West Yorkshire side for several hours until the highway was cleared.

In Bacup town centre, a blue Fiesta smashed into a phone box in Market Street and on the A582 in Rawtenstall, a lorry crashed into some traffic lights causing serious disruption.

Throughout the morning Insp Des Barr said police had 19 road traffic collisions reported to them from across East Lancashire, with several drivers suffering ‘minor injuries’.

Duncan Reeve, Lancashire County Council’s highways operations manager, said gritters had been out salting the roads, but that some areas had still had problems.

He said: “Our crews began gritting across the county on Wednesday afternoon and stayed out throughout the night and into Thursday to treat the roads during the sleet, hail and snow showers.

“The routes we treat whenever freezing weather is forecast, including all A and B roads, single routes into villages, and services such as transport hubs, were gritted a number of times over the following 24 hours.

“Some of the showers were heavy, resulting in quite difficult localised conditions at times.

“The salt works by mixing with the ice to form a solution with a lower freezing temperature and needs the action of vehicle tyres to activate it.

“This means that a heavy shower can result in roads being icy for a time, even after being gritted, which is why we emphasise the need to drive to the conditions.

“Our priority is to keep traffic moving and the main routes have been passable with care.”

However, Rossendale MP Jake Berry said he had received complaints that some major roads had not been gritted at all.

He said: “Hundreds of people have contacted me about the problems they are having across East Lancashire due to the snow.

“I know the highways teams are doing their best to keep everyone moving, however I’m extremely concerned to hear reports about some priority roads that haven’t been gritted and grit bins that have not been refilled despite being reported over two weeks ago.”

Lancashire Telegraph:

Dozens of the region’s schools, including three in Burnley, six in Hyndburn, six in Pendle, 15 in Rossendale and 17 in Blackburn with Darwen had to be closed because of the ‘adverse conditions’.

And the freezing temperatures are expected to trigger further Cold Weather Payments this week.

A £25 payment is made for each seven-day period of very cold weather, to help people with the cost of heating their homes.

Work and Pensions Minister Steve Webb said: “It is vital that we help pensioners and vulnerable people to turn up the thermostat and keep warm when temperatures drop and I expect millions of pounds to be paid out this winter.

“Cold weather payments are paid automatically to people on certain benefits, so it is important that everyone eligible applies for support such as Pension Credit to make sure they receive all the help they are due.

“I’d urge pensioners and their families to call us to make a claim.”