Winter Weather Update

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Winter Weather Update - Monday, 10 January 2011

School Closures

Oakfield Primary School in Hyde will be open today, Monday 10 January 2011 for all pupils.

Nursery & Reception classes at Russell Scott, Denton will be closed following a burst over the Christmas break. Due to the extent of the damage it is anticipated that the classes will be closed until 18 January 2011 whilst remedial works take place.

Weather warning and travel information

No severe weather warnings are currently issued. Further information can be found at www.metoffice.gov.uk Link to External Website

Gritting

Gritting crews are on stand-by and are constantly monitoring the road surface temperatures.

The priority winter gritting routes are:

Refuse and Recycling Service

All scheduled collections are taking place as normal with no disruptions.

Be prepared for the winter weather

A booklet has been produced calling on people to be prepared for the winter weather.

Be a good neighbour during the winter weather

Residents are asked to keep an eye out for vulnerable older neighbours, family members and friends who may be at greatest risk as a result of the freezing conditions and plunging temperatures.

Advice for keeping warm

Kill the Chill is a campaign we are running which aims to raise awareness of the importance of staying warm in the winter. Throughout the winter we will be travelling all across the borough to try to see and speak to as many people as possible about staying warm in the winter.

View more information and advice to help keep warm

Big freeze brings ice danger

Frozen lakes, ponds and canal waterways can be fatal in this weather and Tameside Council is warning people to stay off the ice no matter how appealing it looks.

View more details about the ice danger.

Clearing snow and ice from pavements yourself

There's no law stopping you from clearing snow and ice on the pavement outside your home or from public spaces. It's unlikely you'll be sued or held legally responsible for any injuries on the path if you have cleared it carefully. Follow the snow code for advice on clearing snow and ice safely.

Your water supply

To be certain of staying warm, residents need to take care of all water pipes, including those that clear waste from sinks, toilets and bathrooms.

If your pipes do freeze and you need a reputable plumber, take a look at Tameside Council’s Buy With Confidence pages at www.tameside.gov.uk/bwc. Each listed firm has undergone stringent checks after being recommended by satisfied members of the public.

Prevention is better than cure, so United Utilities is offering clear advice on keeping your water flowing in the form of a booklet PDF File which is available at www.unitedutilities.com/winterHomeProtection.aspx Link to External Website

United Utilities have issued the following advice to help diagnose any problems with your water supply:

Are your neighbours also affected? If so, it is likely to be a problem with the United Utilities main and we will send out engineers as soon as we can, prioritising calls according to how many people are affected
Check whether there are any obvious signs of a burst pipe, and run a tap to check whether there are any frozen pipes
If there are any problems with the water supply, try to find the internal stop tap (usually under the kitchen sink) and turn it off. This will help minimise any water loss if pipes have frozen and cracked and are about to thaw out
If you do find a problem on the property, please call a reputable plumber to assist
Check any currently empty properties where you hold the keys, such as a neighbour’s house or business. We want to avoid leaks in locked up buildings causing water supply problems for others
If you have a problem with your water supply, please only call us once to report it. It will be prioritised, according to the number of people affected. Please do not put in repeat calls as this can block our telephone system
Customers are being urged to report any leaks or bursts in the street on a dedicated freephone leak line - 0800 33 00 33, or via the form on the United Utilities website
To report leaks and for top tips on how to protect your home during winter weather visit the United Utilities website at www.unitedutilities.com

Page last updated: 10 January 2011