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| Fresh snow causes more disruption | Fresh snow causes more disruption |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Fresh snow has caused further disruption across Wales and central England as forecasters warn of more bad weather to come later on Friday. | Fresh snow has caused further disruption across Wales and central England as forecasters warn of more bad weather to come later on Friday. |
| Commuters had a better start to the day than on Thursday, but face a difficult journey home. The M4 has just one lane open both ways from junctions 47-49. | |
| The Met Office forecasts 5-10cm more snow in the Midlands and parts of Wales, with drivers told to take care. | The Met Office forecasts 5-10cm more snow in the Midlands and parts of Wales, with drivers told to take care. |
| Several hundred schools remain closed for a second day. | Several hundred schools remain closed for a second day. |
| More than 750 schools were closed in Wales, after 800 had shut the previous day. | More than 750 schools were closed in Wales, after 800 had shut the previous day. |
| Many of the schools closed in England on Thursday remained shut for a second day, including in the West Midlands where Birmingham City Council said all its 400 schools would stay shut. | Many of the schools closed in England on Thursday remained shut for a second day, including in the West Midlands where Birmingham City Council said all its 400 schools would stay shut. |
| The poor weather is expected to last into the weekend and early next week. | The poor weather is expected to last into the weekend and early next week. |
| Freezing fog and black ice has formed in areas that saw heavy snow on Thursday. | Freezing fog and black ice has formed in areas that saw heavy snow on Thursday. |
| But the Highways Agency said there were no "weather-related incidents" in England on Friday morning and described road conditions as "pretty good". | But the Highways Agency said there were no "weather-related incidents" in England on Friday morning and described road conditions as "pretty good". |
| Motorway closes in Wales More of your snow pictures | Motorway closes in Wales More of your snow pictures |
| It said there were around 400 gritters out on the roads and urged motorists to check travel conditions on the radio and the agency's website before venturing out. | It said there were around 400 gritters out on the roads and urged motorists to check travel conditions on the radio and the agency's website before venturing out. |
| The roads were quieter than usual as commuters stayed at home or chose an alternative way to get into work. | The roads were quieter than usual as commuters stayed at home or chose an alternative way to get into work. |
| A spokeswoman for traffic monitoring company, Trafficmaster, said: "Everyone seems to be staying off the roads. "The volume of traffic is very low." | A spokeswoman for traffic monitoring company, Trafficmaster, said: "Everyone seems to be staying off the roads. "The volume of traffic is very low." |
| Most of Wales has seen more wintry weather with another band of heavy snow from the south-west. The Met Office said the worst affected areas in the West Midlands and Wales could see a further 20-30cm of snow on Friday. | Most of Wales has seen more wintry weather with another band of heavy snow from the south-west. The Met Office said the worst affected areas in the West Midlands and Wales could see a further 20-30cm of snow on Friday. |
| And the BBC Weather Centre said rain turned to snow in parts of Somerset, Wiltshire, west Berkshire, Bristol and Oxfordshire. | And the BBC Weather Centre said rain turned to snow in parts of Somerset, Wiltshire, west Berkshire, Bristol and Oxfordshire. |
| Angry parents | Angry parents |
| Thousands of children were off school for a second day off in Wales, including in Birmingham, Buckinghamshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Oxfordshire. | Thousands of children were off school for a second day off in Wales, including in Birmingham, Buckinghamshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Oxfordshire. |
| Some parents, forced to take time off work to care for their children - or pay others to do so - feel that some schools have been over-reacting. | Some parents, forced to take time off work to care for their children - or pay others to do so - feel that some schools have been over-reacting. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY I have not been affected in the slightest and my school refuses to listen to the pupils and closed down for the day David, London Has your school been closed? | HAVE YOUR SAY I have not been affected in the slightest and my school refuses to listen to the pupils and closed down for the day David, London Has your school been closed? |
| Virgin Trains said that, due to "important track maintenance work required because of the extreme weather conditions", an hourly service was operating between London Euston and Birmingham between 10am and 3pm and London Euston to Manchester between 10am and 1pm. | Virgin Trains said that, due to "important track maintenance work required because of the extreme weather conditions", an hourly service was operating between London Euston and Birmingham between 10am and 3pm and London Euston to Manchester between 10am and 1pm. |
| First Great Western reported minor delays and Network Rail later said the situation was as "good as normal". | First Great Western reported minor delays and Network Rail later said the situation was as "good as normal". |
| Airports have also returned to normal, but travellers are being warned to take extra time because of a possible backlog from Thursday's disruption, when many flights were cancelled or delayed. | Airports have also returned to normal, but travellers are being warned to take extra time because of a possible backlog from Thursday's disruption, when many flights were cancelled or delayed. |
| Cost of disruption | Cost of disruption |
| Kirsty McCabe of the BBC Weather Centre predicted snow would be less of a problem on Saturday, while parts of Scotland would face some snowfall on Sunday. | Kirsty McCabe of the BBC Weather Centre predicted snow would be less of a problem on Saturday, while parts of Scotland would face some snowfall on Sunday. |
| Disruption caused by a thick blanket of snow on Thursday is thought to have cost hundreds of millions of pounds. | Disruption caused by a thick blanket of snow on Thursday is thought to have cost hundreds of millions of pounds. |
| The deepest snow recorded was at Sennybridge, in the Brecon Beacons, which had 10cm (4in). | The deepest snow recorded was at Sennybridge, in the Brecon Beacons, which had 10cm (4in). |
| Motorists, air and rail passengers faced delays, and Commons Leader Jack Straw admitted that Britain could cope better with this type of weather. | Motorists, air and rail passengers faced delays, and Commons Leader Jack Straw admitted that Britain could cope better with this type of weather. |