On Wed, 4 Feb 2009 07:14:20 -0000, Col wrote:

There was a measured article on the news the other day showing how
Moscow copes with winter weather. Proper metal sudded snow tyres

Trouble is studded tyres knacker the road surface unless there is a decent
covering of snow. Proper winter tyres would be better but they are a soft
compound and wear rather quickly when it's warm (only recomended with the
temperature consistently below 7C) and how many people want to have a
spare set of wheels and tyres or have the abilty to actually change 'em.

and contraptions to remove snow from the streets and presumably dump
it somewhere.

They have to remove it, temperature is below freezing all the time, no
shoving it to the side and waiting for a thaw in a couple of days time.

The point made was that it wouldn't be worth London making such
investement as the equipment would only be used every 20 years,

They need some equiment and stores but the balance between what is a
justified expense and what is extrafigant is very debateable. No point in
having snow blowers in London or any urban area come to that but a few
trucks that can be fitted with ploughs and some diggers to hoik snow into
said trucks to dump it in local parks or other open spaces is worth while
and cheap. Such things can be used for other tasks through the summer. You
still need proper gritters of course.

A good thought through, regulary revised and multi level plan would also
be a good idea. So the roads to/from bus stations and the bus routes
themselves are the ones kept clear when a big fall does happen.

--
Cheers
Dave.