Commuters face treacherous conditions this morning after fresh snow fell across much of Britain, adding to the danger of ice on the roads.
Weather warnings for ice and snow are in place across the country, with drivers warned to take extreme care because of sleet in some areas.
Up to 4in (10cm) fell in some parts of the UK overnight, with forecasters predicting the bitter conditions will continue for the next few days.
Heathrow Airport has advised passengers to check the status of their flights before travelling after snow fell there – however, it has not yet issued new warnings about flight delays after cancellations last weekend.
With black ice a major concern for the rush hour, there appears little likelihood of a thaw until at least next week.
Forecasters say temperatures could plummet to as low as -9C as the cold weather that has plagued this week continues.
The snow and ice has already led to a string of road crashes, with lorries jackknifing and pile-ups on major roads.
Police in Cumbria dealt with almost 100 crashes on Thursday and there were several smashes on the A66.
One man was taken to hospital after being knocked over a barrier on the Blaydon Highway flyover in Tyneside after several vehicles collided in the ice. His condition was said to be stable.
A spokesman for Cumbria County Council has warned road conditions there are due to remain hazardous for the next 24 hours, describing the freezing rain as a “perfect storm”.
“Although air temperatures have risen above freezing in many places, ground temperatures remain below zero, causing the rain to freeze on the ground and create patches of black ice.
“Drivers are being urged to avoid travelling unless absolutely necessary,” the spokesman said.
The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) said train companies were gearing up to deal with the bad weather.
Network Rail has been running empty ‘ghost’ trains and de-icer units to keep tracks and overhead cables free of snow and ice as far as possible.
He added: “The whole industry will be working hard to get people from A to B as quickly and reliably as possible.”
Source : Orange News
