Severe icy conditions caused disruption across many of the Isle of Man’s roads on Wednesday as a crash temporarily shut Railway Hill in Douglas.

And the recent cold spell shows no sign of slowing down with many residents waking-up on Wednesday morning to severe icy patches across the island.

The closure of Railway Hill saw a remarkable display of teamwork as Bus Vannin staff gritted part of the route by hand, ensuring the road could be reopened promptly.

Elsewhere, the Department of Infrastructure’s (DoI) gritters had been out since 5am on Wednesday to treat key routes across the island.

In the south, routes 5 and 6 were gritted, covering locations including Ellerslie Depot in Crosby, Richmond Hill, Ronaldsway Airport, and Port Erin. The treatment also included Peel, Dalby, and other southern areas.

In the north, routes 7 and 8 were treated, excluding the currently closed Mountain Road.

These routes encompassed Glen Duff Depot, Creg Ny Baa, Brandywell Cottage, and the Reservoir Car Park, along with Peel and northern areas. Eastern routes 9 and 10, serving Onchan, Noble’s Hospital, Braddan, Upper and Lower Douglas, Pulrose, and the Business Park, were also gritted to mitigate icy conditions.

The DoI crew are still working on the island’s roads and will likely be kept busy all this week as the icy conditions persist.

The cold spell prompted Ronaldsway Met Office to issue a 67-hour yellow weather warning for frost and ice. The alert, which began at 5pm yesterday (Tuesday), remains in place until midday Friday (January 10). Forecasters anticipate frost and ice to impact much of the island, except for some windward coastal areas.

Another warning has been issued today for snow showers as low as 400ft, and will come into force at 6pm today until 6am tomorrow morning.

This warning follows multiple alerts over the weekend and earlier this week, as parts of the island experienced snowfall on Saturday and Sunday. The resulting icy conditions have led to ongoing road closures, including the A18 Mountain Road, Beinn-y-Phott Road, and Tholt-y-Will Road, which are expected to remain shut until at least midday today.

The Met Office reports that surface temperatures are widely at or below freezing, increasing the risk of frost and ice, particularly during evenings, nights, and early mornings. Wet or damp surfaces are especially prone to freezing.

In a statement, the DoI said: ‘Icy conditions persist across various parts of the island’s Road network. Highway Services’ gritters have been out since the early hours and continue to spread road salt in problem areas. Teams are also refilling salt bins and spreading salt by hand where necessary. If you encounter specific issues or notice empty salt bins, please contact our customer service team on 850000.’