Live: Harrogate traffic blighted by snow this morning

Parts of Harrogate have been blighted by problems caused by the heavy snow this morning.
Snow in HarrogateSnow in Harrogate
Snow in Harrogate

The A59 was blocked at Blubberhouses and Skibeden due to an accident involving several cars but has now been reopened. However, there is still a long backlog of traffic.

Traffic has been brought to a standstill in many places around Harrogate including on Leeds Road and Otley Road.

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Journeys in and out of Harrogate on the A61 near Pannal have been delayed with standing traffic in both directions.

Residents have taken to social media to complain that the gridlock of traffic has been caused by the county council's failure to grit the roads.

However, North Yorkshire County Council tweeted that gritters were out early, several times, this morning and continued to grit, whilst ploughs were also fitted.

Coun Don Mackenzie, executive member for Highways, said: "These allegations are always made. We gritted our priority one and two routes last night and we gritted them this morning. We have ploughed the A59 up at Kex Gill as well.

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"We carried out the normal programme that we follow when it is forecast to be icy or snowing.

"There is a chance whilst the snow is falling we can keep the snow on the roads melted but there will always be a degree of travel disruption.

"Otley Road has been gritted it was gritted but even with grit there is a limit to how quickly that can act.

"Everything has been done in accordance with our policy on grit."

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Parliament Street is Harrogate had been blocked earlier this morning due to a broken down bus.

Police have tweeted to say they are doing their best to get stuck vehicles moving again but the weather is forecast to improve this afternoon.

More to follow.