The Government Delegation in Cantabria held today the Winter Viability Commission, in which the Protocol for the Coordination of Actions in the face of snowfall and extreme weather situations that may affect the State Road Network in Cantabria during the 2024/2025 season has been approved. This plan, which includes the mobilisation of 46 snow-ploughing machines and the collection of 16,110 tonnes of flux, aims to ensure road safety and continuity of circulation in the state network.
The delegate of the Government in Cantabria, Eugenia Gómez de Diego, has stressed the importance of this protocol, which seeks to “strengthen coordination between the different services of the General Administration of the State, in collaboration with the Government of Cantabria and the other agents involved, to minimize the effects of snowfall on the circulation”.
Gómez de Diego stressed that, in the event of adverse weather events, the main objective is "to act in a preventive manner to reduce the risk of accidents, protect road users and, where appropriate, ensure the attention of those who may be trapped in their vehicles."
Human and technical resources
According to this protocol, the State Road Demarcation in Cantabria will have 46 snow removal machines (42 thrust and 4 dynamics), 16,110 tons of fluxes stored in tanks and 2,860 tons in the 33 silos, in addition to 822,000 liters of brine in 14 tanks and 16 production plants, as well as 6 brine sprayers in viaducts to counteract the effects of the storms in the following ways: A-67, A-8, S-10, S-20 and S-30. This material will also be used on the following conventional roads: N-611, N-621, N-623, N-629, N-634, N-635 and N-636.
In total, the device, which is already in place, will operate on 256 kilometers of motorways and 343 kilometers of conventional roads.
Regarding the human resources, around 130 people from the Road Demarcation, in close collaboration with the Provincial Traffic Headquarters, the Civil Guard and the Traffic Management Centers North (based in Valladolid) and Northwest-Cantabrian (based in A Coruña), will work in the operation.
Action protocol
This Protocol establishes operational procedures depending on the phase of the situation: alert, pre-emergency and emergency. In addition, it specifies the critical points and enclaves where difficulties of winter viability are likely to arise, especially in the mountain passes that connect Cantabria with the Plateau. The main roads that may be affected also include the A-67 and A-8, where, although interruptions are often punctual, high traffic intensity increases the risk of snowfall incidents.
The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) is responsible for providing weather warnings in alert situations. Depending on the forecasts, activate the color code to report the risks: green (no risk), yellow (slight risk and recommendation to stay informed), orange (important risk and recommendation to take precautions and be prepared) and red (extreme risk and recommendation to take preventive measures and follow the instructions of the competent authorities).
In this regard, Gómez de Diego recalled that “AEMET bulletins are fundamental to anticipate decisions and prepare teams according to the severity of meteorological phenomena.”
Preventive actions and response to emergencias
The protocol provides for the possibility of preventive traffic cuts in areas affected by heavy snowfall, especially for heavy vehicles, which could become trapped and block the road. The Civil Guard Traffic Grouping, in coordination with the Traffic Management Center, will be responsible for enforcing these restrictions.
For cases in which weather conditions make it difficult to move around, pre-assigned parking points are established and, in emergency situations, advanced command posts will be activated to manage the actions quickly and in a coordinated manner. The Territorial Plan of Civil Protection of Cantabria (PLATERCANT) establishes the procedures for dealing with the occupants of immobilised vehicles.
In addition to the above-mentioned agencies, the Civil Protection and Emergency Unit of the Government Delegation also participates in the scheme. On the part of the regional government, the Directorates-General of Interior and Public Works participate and this year, as a novelty, the SEMCA has been incorporated.
Rail transport
In addition to the protocol on roads, the meeting addressed the protocols available to ADIF and Renfe to deal with adverse weather situations, especially on the line that joins the Plateau and the section of the Madrid-León line that runs through the south of Cantabria.
To guarantee rail transport, there is a variety of machinery, including diesel traction machines to assist passenger trains, ice removal machines and exploration machines for cleaning tasks. In addition, salt bags are available to maintain the accessibility of users to railway stations.
"This protocol ensures that all the resources and personnel involved work in a coordinated and effective manner, trying to minimize incidents and guarantee safety on state roads in case of snowfall and adverse weather phenomena," concluded Gómez de Diego.