THE BATTLE to open up more of Huddersfield’s snowbound roads is continuing.

Grit crews have moved off the area’s main roads and are trying to clear the way through into many outlying villages.

But their efforts are being hampered by more heavy snow showers which fell yesterday and the strong winds which are whipping snow into drifts.

Kirklees Council has again drafted in extra contractors to work alongside their 32 gritting teams.

They gritted every main route at 6pm on Monday and yesterday began the task of trying to clear some of the secondary routes.

A spokesman said: “Due to the continuous high winds across Kirklees there is still wind-blown snow and drifting making it difficult to open or keep open many rural roads to communities.

“Yesterday saw the snow clearing fleet split and continue to work on blocked rural routes, but also begin secondary routes.

“In the west of the area we worked on the higher secondary routes and in the east we worked with the cleansing team on bin-emptying routes”.

The teams were out in many areas including Lepton, Colnebridge, Kirkheaton, Lindley, Lingards, Marsden, South Crosland, Wilshaw, Hade Edge and Cumberworth.

They were also busy clearing wider tracks through roads at places including Grange Moor, Briestfield, Lepton, Scapegoat Hill, Emley, Farnley Tyas and Thurstonland.

But there is more bad news on the weather front.

Salendine Nook meteorologist Paul Stevens expects the snow and ice to remain problems until well after the Easter weekend.

“We had some heavy snow showers yesterday morning which brought up to 5cm in some higher areas and we are likely to get more snow showers today.

“The temperatures are well below normal and dropping below freezing at night, which means there is only a slow thaw and it is freezing again overnight.

“There are also strong winds for the next few days which are blowing the snow off the fields in almost blizzard-like conditions and causing more drifting.

“This weather front will stick with us until at least next Tuesday but there is one slight ray of hope – we may see temperatures start to rise quite dramatically by the middle of next week.”

Environment Agency officials have said there is little risk of flooding when the snow does melt.

Agency spokesman Rob Walsh said: “10cm of snow gives 1cm of water so the meltwater is not a real problem unless we get a very fast thaw.

“It can take days or weeks for the fallen snow to melt and even though the ground has been saturated, we are not too concerned about flood risks in West Yorkshire,” he added.