Dedicated teams from Norse Highways have been working through the night and day, responding to emergency calls and clearing dangerous debris following the chaos of two storms.
Winds exceeded 60mph winds in some parts of the county when the Storm Dudley hit on Wednesday night, bringing trees down and leaving many roads in Norfolk blocked.
Alisa Sexton, Operations Manager for Norse Highways, said 11 crews worked continuously through the night, clearing over 50 trees that blew down, proving hazardous to drivers and causing major delays.
Now Storm Eunice is pummelling Norfolk and with winds predicted to reach 90mph in some parts of the county, the Met Office has issued an amber warning, highlighting a potential risk of “danger to life.”
By late afternoon today, crews from Norse Highways had already been called out to deal with over 100 fallen trees and road blockages – and more emergencies are expected over the coming hours.
Jason Glasspoole, Operations Director, Norse Highways, said he was proud of the team and their hard work over the past few days to keep the public safe.
“Our crews have been dealing with the fallout of not one but two severe storms and as a result have been out in serious weather conditions for considerable lengths of time.
“They have battled high winds and heavy rain, but their determination has not wavered.
“Their motivation has been to ensure the safety of the public and that roads are kept as clear as possible to ensure the emergency services can pass if necessary.”
Norse Highways manages and maintains approximately 9,800km of Norfolk highways on behalf of the county council.
The teams help to maintain, improve and manage the use of public roads, offering a comprehensive range of services including pothole repairs; routine maintenance; carriageway surfacing and repair; private works; and gritting during the winter months.
They also provide an essential emergency response when required.
“While Storm Eunice is expected to ease later tonight, the teams will continue with the clear up operations over the weekend, ” said Jason.
“Our crews will, of course, continue to respond whenever necessary and will do everything they can to ensure the safety of those living and working in Norfolk.”
