Princetown roads closed after gritter overturns in severe ice conditions

Roads into and out of Princetown were closed early this morning after a gritter vehicle overturned on extremely icy Dartmoor roads, leaving the village temporarily inaccessible from multiple directions.

Devon Alert confirmed at 7.30am on Friday, January 10, that two key routes had been shut due to hazardous surface conditions. The affected roads are the B3357 Pork Hill to Princetown and the B3212 Dousland to Princetown. Motorists were urged to stay safe and plan ahead.

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The closures have had an immediate knock-on effect for public transport, with the Stagecoach 98 bus unable to serve Princetown this morning due to the road conditions from both the Yelverton and Tavistock sides.

Residents began reporting problems shortly after dawn. At around 8am, local resident Mrs Taylor messaged to say:

“They’ve closed the roads off to the moors. The gritter overturned, it’s an ice rink up here.”

She also provided a photograph showing the gritter lying on its side at the roadside, surrounded by emergency workers and highways staff spreading grit in darkness.

On social media, villagers shared updates and concerns about travel. One resident asked whether anyone had managed to leave the village towards Yelverton, while others said they were worried about getting to medical appointments later in the day. Another post claimed a car had earlier been reported upside down, adding to concerns about safety.

Further comments suggested the gritter was unable to climb Pork Hill due to ice, leaving roads untreated this morning. Some residents reported that while the roads had been gritted overnight, wet sleet later froze, creating dangerously slippery conditions.

One motorist said they managed to leave Princetown around 5am, describing the road towards Tavistock as “a little slippery” but passable at that time. Others said they drove cautiously past road closed signs later in the morning, though most acknowledged that conditions were challenging and not suitable for all drivers.

An admin post shared in local groups confirmed there was “no road access to Princetown” at one stage, reinforcing Devon Alert’s warning.

As temperatures are expected to remain low, residents are being advised to avoid unnecessary travel and wait for official updates before attempting journeys. There have been no confirmed reports of serious injuries at this time.

Updates will continue to be shared by Devon Alert and local authorities as conditions improve.