Snow causes road and rail chaos in Sevenoaks

“I think most people could stretch to a pair of snow tyres for their car if they budgeted properly, they do in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, I guess most people are more interested in spending their money on designer clothes and the latest gadgets!”

“Most of the people complaining can't afford snow lyres ridiculous to suggestion.”

“Most of the people complaining Can't afford snow lyres. silly man.”

“How many of the people complaining have snow tyres fitted to their cars, probably none! Why don't people take responsibility for themselves and get proper tyres fitted rather than blame everybody else! I agree with Jock07, most people can't drive in the snow and they cause most of the problems and gridlock meaning the gritter lorries can't get to where they are needed!”

“There are no excuses.

Despite what has been put out out by KCC and the Highways Agency today on twitter and in the media the fact is that they did not grit major roads and hills in and around Sevenoaks.

If they had done so then people trying to get home from work last night wouldnt have had to deal with sheet ice and extremly dangerous conditions.

Instead yet again the roads were simply left to become death traps putting many peoples safety in jeopardy.

A truly appalling situation across West Kent & Surrey yesterday and a shockingly negligent response from organisations who are meant to ensure road safety.”

“Jock07 - you make some very valid points but there was not the slightest effort on the part of KCC/SDC/STC to even TRY! As for driving abilities I was stunned at the number of large, presumably 4 x 4 vehicles being driven by people and mostly men, who clearly had not a clue HOW to drive a 4 x 4. People were driving, by and large, slowly AND carefully leaving a good gap between vehicles as even the slightest of gradients was a problem. There will always be idiots and such conditions amplify their idiocy accordingly.”

“I'm not sure that gritting would have made any difference. The temperatures were -3 / -4 on Seven Mile Lane. I left Paddock Wood at 17:30 on my way to work, it took me 2.5 hours to get to the M20. I diverted off down the A25 through Borough Green as it was gridlock down by the M26 roundabout, the A25 was blocked all the way through to the Four Wents cross roads.

Perhaps rather than question the KCC we should take a good hard look at peoples driving abilities in the snow. It is quite frankly shocking. This is what contributed to the gridlock and the chaos.

Not only that but some drivers inconsiderate and downright dangerous driving sums up the stinking attitude some of us have. Past Wrotham School some cars were losing traction going up the hill towards Wrotham. I witnessed a string of 4x4 drivers overtake and zoom off into the distance. It left a string of drivers stuck behind one car, other normal front wheel drive cars attempted to overtake only to skid all over the road. I got out and helped push one car out of trouble. I didnt see anyone else bother to get out and help.

When I got onto the M20 it was shocking. You couldnt distinquish between lanes, it was clearly trecherous, yet drivers were attempting to overtake in the fast lane and losing traction in the process, white vans tailgating vehicles as if the road surface was fine. If they want to risk smashing their vehicles up then fine, but if any one of the vehicles spun out it would have slammed into cars on the inside lane, causing a pile up.

Appalling behaviour, either through inexperience, ignorance or downright arrogance.

I wonder how many of our routes were blocked thanks to a combination of the above.

So dont go rushing to blame whether the roads were gritted or not, I'd take a long hard look at other peoples appalling driving standards.”

“It took us 5 (FIVE) hours to get from Blighs to Dunton Green by car this evening. I do hope somebody from KCC is going to explain the failure to grit the roads in Sevenoaks and also what disclipinary action will be taken against those responsible for this failure.”

“This evening the whole of Sevenoaks ground to a halt. My young daughter and I had to abandon our car & walk 2.5 hours through Sevenoaks town to Seal. Cars were in gridlock everywhere we looked, it was not heavy congestion but absolute chaos. We are new to the area, having moved here last summer, and have never witnessed a town coming to a complete halt due to a few inches of snow. My husband took 4 hours getting home from Otford Station, in the end he abandoned his car & walked. Where was KCC with the road gritters today?? What happened? Answers please....”

“With all the warnings from the MetOffice I was utterly disgusted by the abject failure of KCC to grit any of the major roads in and around the Sevenoaks area. The A25 Sevenoaks Bypass was crazy towards Borough Green. I hour from Seal to Crown point before I had to give up, Childsbridge Lane an ice rink. How much has this cost in real terms, lost business, lost wages and lost lives. Absolutely inexcusably appalling. Check out the KCCC Highways web page, pictures of gritters, links to the Met Office, assurances of readiness - clowns!”