Roads, cycle paths and pavements remain slippery following the recent rare heavy snowfall. A code yellow weather warning for slippery conditions is valid across most of the country. There’s black ice on the roads in East and West Flanders following yesterday’s fresh snowfall in western parts.
The Belgian Met Office is forecasting no fresh snow for today, but snow that has already fallen combined with freezing conditions means roads, cycle paths and pavements remain hazardously slippery.
“It’s very wet. There’s a lot of meltwater on the roads and there was some fresh snowfall and rain overnight. Snow and rain can go on to freeze and result in black ice” explains Katrien Kiekens of the Flemish roads agency. “Freezing fog too can make it slippery”.
The Met Office’s code yellow weather warning for slippery conditions remains in place at least until later today.
Rail woes
Rail passengers are once again facing disruption as a result of wintery conditions. Some train services are cancelled. Others have been delayed due to black ice on the rails. Disruption is at its greatest on the Kortrijk-Zottegem and Tongeren-Hasselt lines.
10,000 tons of road salt used
Flemish gritting services are monitoring the situation on roads and cycle paths and are intervening where necessary. “We’re doing our best to remove all black ice from the roads, but we’re not managing to clear it all. We’re not always aware of the situation on minor roads and are urging everybody to be careful” says Ms Kiekens.
Be focused, moderate speed and keep your distance is the message.
“Use your common sense and leave sufficient space for the gritters too” she asks.
Flemish gritting services have been out and about all week. “This is the fifth night in a row that we have been treating roads” says Ms Kiekens. Since Sunday evening the roads agency has used 10,000 tons of road salt to clear roads and pavements of black ice.