Potential ice risk on untreated paths and bridges in Theale, Calcot and across district

People are being urged to be careful when crossing paths and bridges in the event of further chilly spells.

Newburytoday was contacted by residents about the icy conditions of the footbridge over the M4 between Calcot and Theale — where people claim to have fallen over — following the recent cold snap earlier this month.

“It is the worst I’ve seen it in years,” said John Seto, a councillor for Theale Parish Council, regarding the patches of sheet ice that were present along different parts of the bridge.

“I did see a boy lose balance and fall over on his bike (on January 9),” he added.

The route is frequently used by Calcot children to attend school in Theale, especially now with emergency roadworks affecting access to the village.

But while the ice on this footbridge has since thawed, what happens if we get more cold weather?

West Berkshire Council confirmed the footbridge is not routinely treated under its Winter Service Plan, as is the case for most footbridges across the district.

“We are looking to include this on our footbridge treatment list when carrying out the consultation for next year’s winter service plan,” a spokesperson told us. “This footway suffered, as did many others, during the recent very cold snap, but has since thawed.”

Alan Macro (Lib Dem, Theale) confirmed he has also called on the council to include the bridge in next year’s plan.

But will any action be taken to treat the footbridge in case of any more cold snaps before next year? Still no, as the bridge doesn’t feature in the current season’s winter service plan, the council confirmed.

The council added it only treats footbridges listed in Appendix S of its Winter Service Plan and where the criteria for treatment has been met.

These include Monkey Bridge (Newbury), Northcroft River (Newbury), St Mary’s (Shaw-cum-Donnington) and Diamond Jubilee (Hungerford).

Overall, it cares for approximately 232 footbridges, based on its Highway Asset Management Plan 2016/17 to 2020/21.

And what exactly is the criteria for treatment?

According to the same document, only footbridges identified in the footbridge treatment network (appendix J) will receive precautionary treatment when hoar frost and/or ice have been experienced for an unbroken period of 72 hours or more.

It also notes that treatment/clearance of snow from footbridges will be prioritised when resources become available.

Have you been affected by ice on footpaths or footbridges in Theale or anywhere else in the district? Tell us your experiences at newsdesk@newburynews.co.uk

Why has it been so cold?

Multiple factors can influence our weather during the winter months, according to the Met Office.

One is North Atlantic Oscillation, the year-to-year change in the direction of the winds over the North Atlantic region.

Strong westerly winds from the Atlantic bring milder maritime air to the UK, and with them increased rainfall and windstorms.

For the UK, this means more of our weather will come from the north or east – which in winter means colder, drier and potentially snowy conditions.

The NAO can be affected by external factors, including the polar vortex, the circulation of winds high up in the stratosphere.

During winter, the polar vortex can strengthen and weaken, influencing our change of weather.

Arctic sea ice can also reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere. If the temperature between the equator and the North Pole reduces due to declining sea ice, it could potentially reduce the strength of the westerly winds, leading to a greater risk of cold winters.

But warming could also cause air to rise over the Arctic, leading to a reduced risk of cold winters.