[M]otorists are being urged to take extra care on rural roads – and make sure their vehicles are ready for winter – as the cold weather arrives.
North Yorkshire Police officers spent a busy day dealing with stranded vehicles and collisions, particularly in the Scarborough and Ryedale areas. Officer numbers were boosted due to the nature of protest activity at nearby Kirby Misperton.
At about 11am on Thursday 30 November, a family with two very young children in a Nissan Qashqai became stuck in snow on Bulmer Hill, between Sheriff Hutton and Bulmer in Ryedale. They were very distressed, and called the police.
Two officers who were due to police protests at Kirby Misperton had been redeployed to other duties in Ryedale earlier that day – and were in the area in a 4×4 police vehicle at the time.
Due to the nature of protest activity, police resources at Kirby Misperton were scaled down, and most of the officers redeployed to respond to incidents, carry out high-visibility reassurance patrols, and similar roles elsewhere in North Yorkshire. Many ended up dealing with incidents related to the wintry weather.
When the two officers arrived at Bulmer Hill at 11.20am, a further two vehicles had also become stuck there. The officers helped to grit the road, and gave the family a lift home so their car could be recovered later.
Police in Whitby also spent a busy shift helping to clear stranded lorries and cars on the A171 Guisborough Road, as well as dealing with stuck vehicles and collisions in many other parts of the county.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “As the cold weather closes in, it’s extremely important to prepare your vehicle for driving in wintry conditions, and take extra care on the roads.”
Follow this simple advice:
- Check brakes, lights, wiper blades, and oil and washer fluid levels
- Ensure tyres meet legal requirements – and preferably a tread depth of 3mm
- Carry water and de-icer in the car with you
- If you are going on a longer journey, bring food, hot drinks, blankets and a fully-charged mobile phone
- Always clear your windscreen properly of ice and snow before setting off
For more winter driving advice, include video tips from police driver trainers, visit the North Yorkshire Police website: www.northyorkshire.police.uk/winterdriving
Superintendent Alisdair Dey, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “We respond proportionately to any protest activity at Kirby Misperton – so when it is peaceful and safe, we can scale down our resources there, and redeploy officers to policing roles elsewhere in Ryedale.”
