Gritting of major routes in Preston and South Ribble has been defended by Lancashire County Council – after major travel disruption during Thursday morning.

Heavy snow and sleet left many areas of Bamber Bridge and South Ribble with impassable roads.

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Many drivers reported being stuck or delayed for more than two hours on their journeys and a number of schools were forced to close their doors due to staff and parents being unable to make their usual commutes.

Snow ploughs and gritters were scrambled to do additional routes on Thursday (8 March) as snow arrived during the early hours of Thursday.

The county council says the forecasted sleet and snow ‘was much denser and heavier than the forecasts had shown’. All priority routes across Lancashire had been gritted on Wednesday evening.

Read more: Hour-by-hour forecast for Thursday in Preston

Cabinet member for highways and transport county councillor Keith Iddon said: “This weather affected the rush hour in some areas. We gritted the priority routes overnight, but the conditions made driving more difficult in places.

“Our crews also went out first thing this morning to carry out extra gritting, ploughing in some areas and salting work in some areas with higher footfall.

“Road conditions could still be difficult in some areas, so please take care if you are out and about.”