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Air travellers and motorists facing severe delays as wintry weather hits UK Snow and ice cause disruption on UK roads and at airports
(about 3 hours later)
Flights have been delayed and motorists are facing gridlock with snow and ice hitting large swaths of the UK. Motorists have had to abandon their vehicles in icy conditions in the Lake District and flights have been delayed across the UK, with the bad weather expected to cause further travel disruption.
Several flights have been delayed and cancelled at Stansted airport, where the runway had to be cleared of snow, and Luton, where passengers say they have been grounded. Several flights were delayed or cancelled on Wednesday at Stansted, where the runway had to be cleared of snow, and Luton, where passengers said they had been grounded for hours.
Passengers at Birmingham airport were warned that snow could affect flights. Luton airport, where sleet and snow was forecast until 2pm, advised passengers to regularly check the status of their flight. The RAC said it expected to help more than 9,000 motorists by the end of the day, with many callouts relating to damage from potholes caused by freezing weather and high water levels.
Drivers in the East Midlands were at a standstill for more than seven hours following multiple collisions due to snow and ice which caused tailbacks spanning several miles on the A14. Police said drivers abandoned their vehicles on Honister Pass in the Lake District due to icy conditions.
The road was finally reopened in both directions in the early afternoon, albeit with traffic still moving slowly in some parts, after Highways England had cleared the snow. The Met Office issued a yellow warning for ice across large parts of the UK for Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, and isolated snowfall was expected on higher ground in England, Wales and Scotland.
#Snow and #rain will gradually ease this afternoon. It will then turn colder with widespread #ice this evening and overnight pic.twitter.com/RB4KuBCLyq Heading out this evening? #Ice will begin to form on untreated surfaces, with #wintry showers in the north and west #weatheraware pic.twitter.com/uZzwSQpmO3
“All of our available resources have been dispatched to help move stranded vehicles and clear snow from the carriageway,” it tweeted. On Wednesday morning, motorists on the the A14 in the east Midlands were at a standstill for more than seven hours after multiple collisions in snow and ice. The road was reopened in both directions in early afternoon, albeit with traffic still moving slowly in some places.
The agency advised people stuck in their cars to “stay with your vehicles, heaters on and wrap up where possible”, adding it was doing all it could to “get vehicles cleared and get you moving”.
Stuck A14 West Bound between junctions 2-3 in Northamptonshire. Haven’t moved for over 3 hours!! #thankgoodnessfornetflix #uksnow #weather pic.twitter.com/hfsKYg8NIKStuck A14 West Bound between junctions 2-3 in Northamptonshire. Haven’t moved for over 3 hours!! #thankgoodnessfornetflix #uksnow #weather pic.twitter.com/hfsKYg8NIK
Thousands of people were left without power overnight as freezing temperatures and strong winds swept in, with Western Power Networks, which serves the Midlands, Wales and the south-west, saying more than 14,000 properties had been left without power. The RAC told drivers to check local weather reports, leave extra time for their journey and pack a winter travel kit before leaving home. It warned of black ice on the roads on Wednesday evening.
Its spokesman Pete Williams said: “We are experiencing higher breakdown volumes than expected with callouts up by 15-20% compared with seasonal norms. We look on track to attend over 9,000 members today.
“It’s busiest in the Midlands, eastern England, the north, south-west, Kent and south London, with snow and ice making driving hazardous for many. We are also seeing a significant increase in vehicles with pothole-related damage – so punctures, wheel damage, steering and suspension problems. The toxic combination of high water levels, ice and snow is causing many road surfaces to crumble, causing potholes to open up.”
Thousands of people were left without power on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning as freezing temperatures and strong winds swept in. Western Power Networks, which serves the Midlands, Wales and the south-west, said more than 14,000 properties had been left without power.
The rain and snow was not expected to clear the mainland until about 7pm on Wednesday, although showers were expected to become lighter and patchy as the day progressed.The rain and snow was not expected to clear the mainland until about 7pm on Wednesday, although showers were expected to become lighter and patchy as the day progressed.
Warnings for ice have been issued for Northern Ireland, Yorkshire and the Humber, the north-east of England, the Highlands, Grampian, Lothian and Borders, Strathclyde, and Orkney and Shetland. Simon Partridge, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “We have had some quickly changing weather overnight with a band of heavy rain and hill snow that started in the south-west and is gradually moving north and eastwards. That’s crossed Wales and is just lying over central southern England and it has brought some snow with it.”
Highways England said 2,000 tonnes of salt and grit had been put down in the West Midlands overnight, adding that treating roads was a “battle that we are constantly fighting”, though the worst weather had subsided and moved eastwards. Up to 7cm of snow fell over Exmoor, south Wales and the Cotswolds overnight, and there were also flurries in other areas.
Simon Partridge, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “We have had some quickly changing weather overnight with a band of heavy rain and hill snow that started in the south-west and is gradually moving north and eastwards.
“That’s crossed Wales and is just lying over central southern England and it has brought some snow with it.”
Up to 7cm of snow fell over Exmoor, south Wales and the Cotswolds overnight, while there were also flurries in other areas.
“We have had a number of reports of areas affected; it shut part of the M5 just south of Bristol because lorries could not get uphill,” Partridge said. “There [have] also been some power cuts reported and road traffic accidents as well, although these have been more to do with surface water.”“We have had a number of reports of areas affected; it shut part of the M5 just south of Bristol because lorries could not get uphill,” Partridge said. “There [have] also been some power cuts reported and road traffic accidents as well, although these have been more to do with surface water.”
Strong winds were recorded in parts of the south-west overnight, with gusts of up to 50mph across Cornwall.Strong winds were recorded in parts of the south-west overnight, with gusts of up to 50mph across Cornwall.
The government’s flood information service for England has nine warnings in force, where flooding is expected and immediate action required, and 94 alerts where flooding is possible and people should be prepared. The government’s flood information service for England has nine warnings in force, where flooding is expected and immediate action required, and 94 alerts, where flooding is possible and people should be prepared.