Due to the poor weather experienced during the past two winters when, at various times, the country was close to grinding to a halt with local councils warning of salt stocks becoming dangerously low, it appears that people are vowing to be better prepared for this winter and any bad weather that comes along.

Stores such as Halfords are reporting that September and October saw people buying large quantities of snow shovels, snow shoes and antifreeze. Also, some health authorities have decided to give staff the best chance of staying safe with healthcare staff in Cumbria, for instance, being provided with Yaktrax, lightweight grips which are worn over shoes to give them a better grip in icy conditions.

The local NHS Foundation said that it was taking the action to help avoid circumstances, as have been seen in the previous two winters, where staff were falling in the snow and ice, which had an impact, not just on the healthcare worker concerned, but also on the patients who were relying on their visits.

Another way to help is by putting socks over shoes as, according to research from New Zealand, that is also a way of securing a grip and helping to prevent slips and trips in ice and snow. The research apparently sent 30 people to walk down a steep, icy hill and showed that those with socks over their shoes had a better chance of keeping on their feet than those who didn’t.

Kirklees Council is another body to have taken action early as it is planning to purchase sets of snow grips to help the elderly get out of their houses in poor weather. The area covered by the council was particularly badly affected last winter and at one stage, in Linthwaite, residents were forced to crawl along on their hands and knees on black ice which had not been treated. However, now the council is hoping to buy 60 sets of ice claws which are fitted to shoes, enabling those using them to walk on snow and ice with a much better grip than would be the case with normal shoes or boots.