Snow And Ice! Why Can't The UK Cope? For three years in a row the United Kingdom suffered their worst winters in decades. Did we cope with it? The simple answer is NO! Thousands of people could not get to work, trains were brought to a halt, airports ran at either a reduced service or were closed all together, and the road system came to a standstill. ABSOLUTE CHAOS! was the result. A few of our north east escorts are amazed at how we are all affected by it, one said "If everyone just planned a little better and understood that the weather conditions are getting worse year on year then maybe we could cope like the rest of Europe does. Like a number of other north east escorts from the agency, I have fitted winter tyres, just to be on the safe side. There not cheap, but they do make a big difference and safety has to be our number one priority". Other counties, like Canada and Norway simply get on with. The reason why? Well maybe it's because the winter conditions are more predictable and more severe. In Canada for instance, millions of dollars are invested in items such as enormous snow ploughs and heavy snow moving machinery, as the severity of the winters mean that they will be used over and over again, so value for money is achieved with the investment. In Norway, the Norwegians have invested in heated pavements to keep them ice free. Winter tyres are compulsory in most countries in Europe that are adversely affected with snow. In the UK our winters have not been so adverse, and certainly not as predictable, so investment means diverting money from other facilities, maybe education or road repairs, such as potholes, to invest in machinery that may not be used on a regular basis. But: Is the climate pattern changing? Are our winters getting worse, somewhat more predicable than before? And is it time we sat up and did something positive about it? Well at long last the Government has started asking the scientists these question. And if the climate patterns are changing, and the UK will be affected directly by more severe and prolonged winters what can we do both short term and long term to protect ourselves as a nation. Is it simply more investment or do we need a change in attitude as well? Do we need as a nation to be more proactive in our planning for winter? More proactive to any adverse weather patterns, such as droughts and floods. Is planning for future changes the key to a more sustainable way of life in a changing climate? Well: Doing nothing is like burying your head in the sand and hoping for the best! So we had better start doing something and doing it real soon, because if the climate does change and the weather patterns alter significantly, then as a nation we are going to come to a standstill, more often than not: And that's a recipe for disaster!!! |
