Intense snowfall saw several roads closed this morning around the county and surrounding areas.
Initially, four roads were closed last night after snow fell in Derbyshire. They remain shut this morning.
Other roads have also been closed as councils and National Highways work hard to clear the snow and make the roads safe. Derby saw as much as 6 inches of snow in high places yesterday, Monday, November 18.
Full list: Roads closed due to snow in Derby
Extreme weather conditions have led to road closures across several areas of Derbyshire as heavy snowfall impacts travel and access. Authorities are prioritising vital routes to maintain movement in and out of affected regions, with other roads temporarily untreated.
The areas experiencing closures and disruptions are
- Amber Valley,
- Bolsover,
- Chesterfield, the
- Derbyshire Dales (North and South),
- Erewash,
- High Peak,
- North East Derbyshire,
- South Derbyshire.
Local authorities have stated that principal routes—essential for emergency access and critical movement—are being prioritised. While not mapped in the same way as primary and secondary routes, these are considered lifelines for communities during severe weather.
“Our teams are working flat out across the area to clear those key routes,” said a spokesperson for the council. “We urge residents to avoid non-essential travel and exercise caution if venturing out.”
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Drivers are advised to monitor local updates as conditions continue to evolve. Untreated roads in these areas will remain closed until principal routes are cleared and reopened. Emergency services and essential travel have been given top priority, while gritters and snowploughs work tirelessly to manage the crisis.
The snowstorm is part of a larger cold front sweeping the region, with further snowfall expected over the coming days.
Roads closed due to snow in Derby
As of late last night, several major routes have been shut down. These are the roads closed due to snow
•A54/A537 Cat & Fiddle Road (Buxton – Macclesfield): Closed since 9:38 pm, November 18.
•A6024 Holme Moss (Crowden to Holmfirth): Closed since 10:12 pm, November 18.
•A57 Snake Pass: Closed as of 11:58 pm, November 18.
•Winnatts Pass: Closed as of 11:59 pm, November 18.
•Rushup Edge: Closed at 12:06 am, November 19.
•Mam Nick: Closed at 12:07 am, November 19.
•A5004 (Long Hill) Buxton to Whaley Bridge: Closed at 12:08 am, November 19.
•A53 (Leek Road) Buxton to Whaley Bridge: Closed at 12:09 am, November 19.
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Untreated roads
Several roads remain untreated due to circumstances preventing gritting operations:
•Chapel Street, Glossop: Unreachable due to roadworks.
•Oker Road, Snitterton: Closed due to a landslip.
•Main Street, Palterton; Palterton Lane, Palterton; Station Lane, Old Whittington: All inaccessible due to roadworks.
•Crow Lane, Chesterfield: Blocked due to train station platform extension.
•Leashaw, Holloway; Lees Road, Birchover; Commonside Road, Barlow: Closed due to landslips, making treatment impossible.
Winter advisory as roads closed due to snow
Derbyshire County Council advises drivers to avoid travel unless necessary, as teams focus on clearing principal routes first. Secondary and untreated roads will remain hazardous until conditions improve. A council spokesperson stated:
“Our gritters are working tirelessly to maintain access on vital routes, but conditions remain severe. We urge residents to exercise caution and stay updated through our road monitoring system.”
Authorities are monitoring weather forecasts, and further snow is expected in the coming days. Residents are encouraged to check local travel alerts and ensure vehicles are winter-ready if travel cannot be avoided.
Schools closed due to snow in Derby
The following schools have informed Derbyshire County Council that they will be closed today due to adverse weather conditions:
- South Darley C.E. Primary School
- Brackenfield Special School, Long Eaton
- Coppice Primary & Nursery School
Parents are advised to check directly with their child’s school for updates if uncertain, as schools are not required to notify local authorities of closures.
Derby High School is also closed. A spokesperson for the school said: “We are very sorry to have to inform parents and staff that school will be closed today, Tues 19th November due to snow and poor weather conditions.”
Is more snow expected today in Derby?
Derbyshire woke to another freezing morning, with temperatures hovering around -2°C and more snow showers expected throughout the day.
Derbyshire County Council gritters began salting primary snow routes at 4am, while local farmers were called in at 7 am to start ploughing secondary routes. Efforts are underway to keep key roads passable as the snow persists.
The A5004 Long Hill (Buxton to Whaley Bridge) has reopened after being closed overnight, providing some relief for drivers in the area.
However, several trees have fallen due to the weight of accumulated snow, particularly around the Matlock area. Crews are working to clear these hazards as part of ongoing efforts to restore normal travel conditions.
Motorists are advised to take extra caution on untreated routes and to stay updated with travel alerts as the weather remains unpredictable.
Work being done to clear snow from roads
The council has its workforce out clearing roads this morning. A spokesperson for Derby Council said: “It’s been a cold night with more snow showers expected this morning. Temperatures have been low and are at around -2 degrees.
“Our gritters have been out since 4 am this morning, salting the primary snow routes across the county. Local farmers have been asked to start ploughing our secondary snow routes from 7 am this morning.
“One road has reopened since last night – the A5004 Long Hill, Buxton to Whaley Bridge.
“Two additional roads are now closed due to the weather conditions:
- B6014 at Ogsten, Tansley to Stretton.
- Church Lane at Quarndon.
“All the routes closed overnight remain shut due to the weather conditions:
- A57 Snake Pass.
- Winnats Pass.
- Rushup Edge from Chapel to Castleton.
- Mam Nick.
“A number of trees have fallen due to the weight of the snow, mainly in and around the Matlock area. We will attend to these as soon we can get access. If you are out and about, please take extra care today and allow additional time for your journey.
“We will respond to the weather conditions and our gritting teams will continue their work across the county. Please keep a check on our social media channels for the latest information.”
Gritters have also been working hard to help clear roads. A spokesperson for Derby Council said: “Over the past 12 hours our gritters have been working on 37 routes to help keep Derbyshire’s roads clear.
“During periods of very bad weather, we may not be able to grit all routes as planned. Or we may find that where we’ve started gritting a route we are unable to continue.”
UK Health Security Agency warns of possible ‘rise in deaths’ as snow hits
The UKHSA upgraded its weather warning for Derbyshire to Amber as the cold snap hit the county. The Amber Cold-health alert which ends on 23 November 2024 at 06:00 pm says the following:
Forecast weather is likely to cause significant impacts across health and social care services, including:
- a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. We may also see impacts on younger age groups
- a likely increase in demand for health services
- temperatures inside places like hospitals, care homes, and clinics dropping below the levels recommended for assessing health risks
- challenges keeping indoor temperatures at the recommended 18°C leading to more risk to vulnerable people
- staffing issues due to external factors (such as travel delays)
- other sectors starting to observe impacts (such as transport and energy)
