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For the past two years Surrey and the rest of the UK has experienced the most severe winter weather conditions for 30 years affecting services, residents and businesses.
We can all take steps to ensure that when severe winter weather hits, we are prepared and able to cope. Surrey County Council services have been planning for months to ensure we can help keep the road network as clear as possible during winter and continue to provide services to the most vulnerable.
But we cannot do everything. We need the support of our residents, communities and businesses to keep the county moving. Whether it's by looking out for elderly and vulnerable neighbours or helping to clear snow from properties and pathways; if people get involved this winter will be easier for everyone.
Read on to find out what we are doing to prepare for winter, or visit the Surrey services in the snow page for information on disruption to council services.
Following snow or ice, Highways crews are sent out to inspect road surfaces and identify which areas of the county's 3,000 miles of highway are in need of repair. Extensive resurfacing and patching has taken place prior to winter months, to ready the roads for winter weather.
Visit our Highways Information webpage for seasonal updates, including our priority gritting routes, grit bin locations and the simplest way to report issues on the highways online.
During severe winter weather, follow us on Twitter to find out when we are gritting roads in Surrey, traffic updates and travel information. You can also find out about travel disruptions online.
Whilst our waste management contractor, SITA Surrey Ltd will make every effort to open community recycling centres as normal, there may be occasions when the sites have to be closed in times of severe weather such as snow or flooding. This may be necessary because the site is inaccessible or unsafe or where no member of staff can get to the site.
In these circumstances, any closures would be posted on the council's website and information provided via the Surrey County Council contact centre.
Fraudsters may use the fact that ice and snow has caused damage to guttering and roofing to many homes in Surrey, going door to door offering home repair services. The elderly are especially targeted. Often this work is not needed, can be of poor quality and is overpriced.
Please take a look at Trading Standard's advice on giving rogue traders the cold shoulder.
If you could see flu germs, you'd see how quickly they spread. Cold and flu germs can live on some surfaces for hours. To protect yourself and others this winter, always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Bin the tissue, and to kill the germs, wash your hands with soap and water, or use a sanitiser gel. This is the best way to help slow the spread of flu. Catch it. Bin it. Kill it.
Free Seasonal flu vaccination is available to help protect people who are more at risk. These people include;
For those people more at risk, seasonal flu can increase the risk of serious illness, such as pneumonia, or can make existing conditions worse.
To find out further details about the groups that are at increased risk of seasonal flu and about seasonal flu vaccination visit the NHS website.
Hints and tips on how to protect your home from freezing water pipes and what actions to take if a pipe bursts.
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