Motorway snow warnings for the weekend

To prevent a situation like that of three weeks ago when over 3,000 cars were stuck on the AP-6 through Castilla y León for 18 hours overnight because of insufficient alert systems which would have led many to rethink their journeys, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) is taking no chances this time.

Its leader, Gregorio Serrano, says some restrictions may be in place for vehicles not equipped with snow chains or 'winter tyres'.

Starting today (Friday) and until at least Sunday, the AP-67 toll road and A-67 motorway through Cantabria and the province of Palencia, Castilla y León, is likely to be affected, along with the A-6 motorway from Castelo to Pedrafita do Cebreiro in the province of Lugo, Galicia, as well as in that of León, near Puerto del Manzanal.

The A-1, which links Madrid with the Castilla y León provinces of Segovia and Burgos and the Basque Country provinces of Guipúzcoa and Álava, plus the A-52 from A Gudiña (province of Ourense, Galicia) to Puebla de Sanabria (Zamora province, Castilla y León) and the A-2 motorway from the Castilla-La Mancha province of Guadalajara to the Castilla y León province of Soria could become blocked by snowdrifts, or at least suffer slow-moving traffic.

Four toll motorways besides the AP-67 are also under snow alerts – the AP-66 from León to Asturias, the AP-51 between Villacastín (Segovia province) and Ávila city, also in Castilla y León, the AP-61 from San Rafael (Segovia province) to Segovia city, and the AP-6, where the worst of the delays in early January occurred, from Madrid to Segovia via Ávila.

National inter-provincial highways that could become snowed under have been named as the N-330 near the Somport tunnel in the Pyrénéen province of Huesca, in Aragón, and the N-240 near the Vielha tunnel and Arán Valley in the province of Lleida, Catalunya.

Serrano has warned that even if snow does not block the traffic, tailbacks may be caused by gritter lorries and snow ploughs.

If conditions become severe, restrictions on heavy-goods vehicles or any vehicles without snow chains or 'winter tyres' may apply, with speed limits reduced and overtaking banned – or even the entire highway shut off and diversions set up.

Drivers are warned to allow extra time and take maximum precautions, to pay attention to overhead information panels and to ensure they are equipped with emergency supplies – food, drink, warm and waterproof clothing, a fully-charged mobile phone with, if possible, a spare battery, and the standard kit required in all cars in any weather conditions which includes two red triangles, reflective jackets for all occupants, a bulb kit, first-aid kit, tow-rope and jump-leads.