Renewed warnings over icy roads

Freezing fog and ice are still affecting many East Midlands roads as temperatures stay close to zero.

Further snow has fallen in parts of Lincolnshire and in many areas untreated roads remain dangerous.

Drivers are being warned to take extra care and leave more distance between themselves and the car in front.

Officials in Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire have also said they are now gritting pavements in priority areas.

Darrel Redford, from Lincolnshire Highways, said roads remained their focus but some footpaths were being given attention.

Snow wardens

"We try to get them [footpaths] done but only in severe weather because of the manpower it takes to do them.

"We have done them in certain areas but we can't do everyone so we prioritise, concentrating on town centres, outside old people's homes, that sort of thing."

Martin Broomhead, from Leicestershire County Council's highways team, said communities could help to keep footpaths ice-free.

"We provide grit bins around the county and we encourage parishes and larger towns to purchase them and appoint snow wardens.

"They would spread the grit out when it is required and keep an eye on the situation."

He added that of the 12,000 tonnes of salt they had at the beginning of winter, only 2,000 tonnes had been used.

The Royal Derby Hospital said it had experienced a rise in admissions to its fracture clinic.

These were up from a daily average of 15 to 44 on Monday, with many admissions due to slips and falls.

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