Uckfield schools closed again
.jpg "Uckfield schools closed again")
Updated: 2pm
Little or snow has fallen in the Uckfield area overnight. Temperatures plummeted during the hours of darkness as skies cleared leaving icy surfaces and hazardous driving conditions.
Schools closed include: Blackboys, Bonners (Maresfield), Buxted, Fletching, Framfield, Harlands, High Hurstwood, Holy Cross, Little Horsted, Manor, Nutley, Rocks Park, St Philip’s and UCTC.
Confirmed as open today is East Hoathly school.
Services from Uckfield rail station remain suspended until further notice, according to train operator, Southern. The National Rail Inquiries website shows all today's timetabled services from Uckfield are cancelled.
Brighton buses have not yet reached Uckfield. The Countryliner service to East Grinstead is running. Stagecoach is running services to Eastbourne but not via East Hoathly.
In a statement at lunchtime, East Sussex County Council said: "Snow ploughs have been fitted to our gritting lorries and we have been ploughing night and day to clear snow and re-open the roads.
"We have had invaluable help in this task from local farmers, and we have been working in co-ordination with our district and borough colleagues to clear snow in town centre pedestrian areas by salting pavements by hand.
"Our gritter crews were working non-stop from 5pm on Wednesday night and through Thursday and are currently continually salting all our primary routes across the county.
"Once these roads are clear, we will move onto ploughing and salting our secondary routes. We are also refilling more than 800 salt bins."
The statement also said the council would ensure essential services for older people continue "whatever the weather conditions". Contingency measures were in place.
Uckfield town centre was quiet this morning with little traffic in the High Street.
The children's centre in Manor Way was open this morning but closed at noon.
Maresfield recycling centre remains closed. Refuse and recycling collections by Wealden District Council will not go ahead today.
Peep into the past: Uckfield on a snowy day
The pictures below were taken this morning by Paul Watson in Uckfield High Street and at the Hempstead Meadows Local Nature Reserve.
Thanks to Ron Hill for the photograph of workmen clearing ice from town pavements.
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(Added to site Friday, December 3rd, 2010)
