Residents in a Greater Manchester village share their struggles with snow and its impact on daily life
Greater Manchester: The new year kicked off with a snowy surprise for many folks. It was supposed to be the first day back to normal after the holidays, but heavy snow, rain, and freezing temps greeted commuters, kids, and everyone else.
The Met Office issued warnings for heavy rain, snow, and ice, and many schools decided to stay closed. Oldham schools were particularly hit hard, with places like Oldham College and Christ Church C.E. Primary School giving students a day off.
Denshaw, a village in Saddleworth, is known for getting hit hard by snow. The Manchester Evening News went there to chat with locals about how they were handling the weather chaos.
David, who lives on the A672 leading to Denshaw, mentioned that they usually manage okay since it’s a main road and the council does a good job of gritting it. He had planned to visit his mom but decided against it due to traffic.
“We’re always dreading it when it snows,” he said, noting that the road is often used as a shortcut by drivers.
Clayton Marshall, who runs the Printer Arms pub in Denshaw, sees the snow as a mixed bag. Even though it took him nearly five hours to get to work, he noted that sometimes the whole village ends up at the pub if the snow isn’t too bad.
“Kids sledding and having fun is a common sight,” he added, but he also acknowledged that heavy snow can keep people from traveling.
On Buckley Drive, residents were busy shoveling snow from their drives and streets. One woman expressed her frustration, saying, “Whenever we see snow in the forecast, it’s like, ‘Oh no, not again!’”
She pointed out that Denshaw seems to have its own weather system, often getting hit harder than surrounding areas.
Another resident shared how the snow has made life tricky, especially for kids trying to get to school. While the council does a decent job with the main roads, getting out of their drives can be a real challenge.
Before the snow, the area was still dealing with flooding from the New Year’s rains. This morning, Manchester Airport even had to close its runways due to the snow, but they reopened them shortly after. Meanwhile, several roads remained closed due to flooding, including Woodhead Pass and the A555.
