BUSINESS leaders estimate the snow has lost city firms about £10m as they demanded more is done to keep the county moving during cold snaps.

Oxford City Council drafted in a team of just 25 street cleaners to tackle Arctic weather conditions over the weekend, gritting the city’s main road network, ploughing arterial routes and clearing city centre footpaths.

Meanwhile, the Highways Agency laid 261 tonnes of salt on the A34 in Oxfordshire between Friday night and Monday morning.

However, those efforts were unable to stop drivers abandoning their vehicles on the A34 as snow built up on the carriageway causing long tailbacks.

Keith Slater, former president of Oxfordshire Chambers Council, which represents more than 500 businesses, estimated the snowfall could have cost businesses in the city centre more than £10m. He said: “It is the snow moving equipment thec county needs and the people to handle them.”

Meanwhile, a survey of county retailers and pubs showed takings were down between 40 and 80 per cent on Saturday.

Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network, which represents town chambers of commerce and shopping centres across the county, said the survey by showed hotels and restaurants lost between £1,000 and £2,500 in a single night due to bookings being cancelled.

Network director Iain Nicholson said travel chaos caused by the coldest December since 1910 compounded the impact of January’s widespread snowfall on the local economy.

He said: “We have had two very serious weather events in the same year now, this time earlier than anyone expected. It clearly was not then or is not now a situation where Oxfordshire businesses can keep moving and operating.

“It is a discussion that everybody needs to have to see whether we should change our level of preparedness for snow and ice.”

Anthony Lloyd, who owns Fallowfields Country House Hotel at Kingston Bagpuize, said: “Whereas I absolutely understand customers are heeding the warnings to stay at home, the impact of this on local hospitality businesses is dire.

“We had cancellations for 60 customers on Saturday, 40 more on Sunday, and no guests or restaurant customers at all on Monday.”

Since the weekend 70 council staff have been working to reopen the city’s bus routes and clear snow from shopping precincts and car parks.

Ed Turner, board member for strategic planning, said: “Clearly, everyone involved needs to have a look at whether we need to do anything more or invest extra now we seem to be seeing patterns of extreme weather rather than one-off events.

“The council staff have worked really hard over the last few days.”

Highways Agency spokesman James Wright said: “We are well placed to deal with cold weather, but when the weather is truly exceptionally bad unfortunately some disruption is inevitable.”

cwalker@oxfordmail.co.uk