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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/dec/27/travel-chaos-weather-snow-england-roads-airports-shut
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Travel chaos in England as snow and gales shut roads, harbours and airports | Travel chaos in England as snow and gales shut roads, harbours and airports |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Heavy snow and gale-force winds have caused major disruption to travellers across the UK, with flights delayed, cross-channel ferries suspended and motorists stranded. | Heavy snow and gale-force winds have caused major disruption to travellers across the UK, with flights delayed, cross-channel ferries suspended and motorists stranded. |
| The north of England was worst hit by the cold snap, with blizzards closing Leeds Bradford International airport in Yorkshire and Liverpool’s John Lennon airport for several hours while flights at Manchester airport were also delayed on Saturday. | The north of England was worst hit by the cold snap, with blizzards closing Leeds Bradford International airport in Yorkshire and Liverpool’s John Lennon airport for several hours while flights at Manchester airport were also delayed on Saturday. |
| The freezing weather also brought treacherous conditions to roads, with many motorists in Sheffield forced to abandon their cars overnight after snow left roads impassable. | The freezing weather also brought treacherous conditions to roads, with many motorists in Sheffield forced to abandon their cars overnight after snow left roads impassable. |
| A band of wet, cold and blustery weather crossed England from Merseyside and north Wales through the Midlands and Yorkshire. The north and the Midlands were worst hit by the snow, with 11cm (4.3in) falling in Leek, Staffordshire. Nottinghamshire and Bingley, near Bradford, saw flurries of up to 7cm (2.8in). | A band of wet, cold and blustery weather crossed England from Merseyside and north Wales through the Midlands and Yorkshire. The north and the Midlands were worst hit by the snow, with 11cm (4.3in) falling in Leek, Staffordshire. Nottinghamshire and Bingley, near Bradford, saw flurries of up to 7cm (2.8in). |
| Motorists have been advised to check ahead before travelling, and in some parts to avoid journeys unless they are essential. | Motorists have been advised to check ahead before travelling, and in some parts to avoid journeys unless they are essential. |
| To compound problems, all trains from King’s Cross station in London to the north were cancelled due to overrunning engineering works. Network Rail described the delays to its £200m investment programme as “regrettable and unfortunate”. | To compound problems, all trains from King’s Cross station in London to the north were cancelled due to overrunning engineering works. Network Rail described the delays to its £200m investment programme as “regrettable and unfortunate”. |
| Winds of up to 160km/h (100mph) also forced the French port of Calais to shut and the suspension of car ferries to and from Britain, officials said. | |
| “No vessel is entering or leaving. All sea traffic is halted,” an official at Calais’ port authority told Agence France-Presse, adding that ferries currently in Dover on the other side of the channel were staying there. | “No vessel is entering or leaving. All sea traffic is halted,” an official at Calais’ port authority told Agence France-Presse, adding that ferries currently in Dover on the other side of the channel were staying there. |
| Thousands in the Midlands were left without electricity as heavy snow brought down power lines. The Met Office warned that more snow may fall on Saturday, but added that the major threat would be from ice, which would affect almost all of the country. | Thousands in the Midlands were left without electricity as heavy snow brought down power lines. The Met Office warned that more snow may fall on Saturday, but added that the major threat would be from ice, which would affect almost all of the country. |
| A Western Power Distribution spokesman said 36,000 customers were left without power and another 69,000 had short interruptions to supplies throughout the Midlands and the south-west. | A Western Power Distribution spokesman said 36,000 customers were left without power and another 69,000 had short interruptions to supplies throughout the Midlands and the south-west. |
| Staff worked through the night to reconnect customers, but around 3,000 in the east Midlands remain affected. | |
| John Lennon and Leeds Bradford International airports reopened on Saturday after their runways were cleared of snow. But a spokesman for the Liverpool airport warned that knock-on disruption was expected. “We have had quite a deluge here,” he warned. | John Lennon and Leeds Bradford International airports reopened on Saturday after their runways were cleared of snow. But a spokesman for the Liverpool airport warned that knock-on disruption was expected. “We have had quite a deluge here,” he warned. |
| Sian Perrin wrote on Twitter: “Waiting for de-icing truck & been told there aren’t enough! Will now miss connection to Prague. Lufthansa doing all they can.” | Sian Perrin wrote on Twitter: “Waiting for de-icing truck & been told there aren’t enough! Will now miss connection to Prague. Lufthansa doing all they can.” |
| Laura Thornhill wrote: “What’s the delay? Been sitting on the plane for over an hour - no update no refreshments poorcustomerservice.” | Laura Thornhill wrote: “What’s the delay? Been sitting on the plane for over an hour - no update no refreshments poorcustomerservice.” |
| Wiriting on Twitter at around 2.30am, one driver near Sheffield said he had been in a queue for more than four hours. | Wiriting on Twitter at around 2.30am, one driver near Sheffield said he had been in a queue for more than four hours. |
| A coachload of people travelling from Sheffield to London had to take refuge in a church after their bus became stuck in the snow before leaving the South Yorkshire city, passenger Chloe McIntosh told the BBC. | A coachload of people travelling from Sheffield to London had to take refuge in a church after their bus became stuck in the snow before leaving the South Yorkshire city, passenger Chloe McIntosh told the BBC. |
| She said: “Some people from the houses nearby have come and offered us tea. Then they opened up the church.” | She said: “Some people from the houses nearby have come and offered us tea. Then they opened up the church.” |
| Staffordshire police tweeted: “Reports of difficult road conditions across Staffordshire due to snow. Please only travel tonight if necessary.” | Staffordshire police tweeted: “Reports of difficult road conditions across Staffordshire due to snow. Please only travel tonight if necessary.” |
| Leicestershire police tweeted: “Snow causing disruption in the north of the county. Please only travel if absolutely necessary and avoid A1 as large vehicles are stuck.” | Leicestershire police tweeted: “Snow causing disruption in the north of the county. Please only travel if absolutely necessary and avoid A1 as large vehicles are stuck.” |
| Snow had been predicted to fall in parts of north Wales, the north-west and the Midlands, with a Met Office amber alert in place and a yellow warning of snow across swaths of the UK since Friday morning. | Snow had been predicted to fall in parts of north Wales, the north-west and the Midlands, with a Met Office amber alert in place and a yellow warning of snow across swaths of the UK since Friday morning. |
| A Met Office spokeswoman said on Saturday that the Pennines and Peak District also saw plenty of snow, adding: “The snow is probably peaking at the moment. It should ease off over the course of the next few hours.” | A Met Office spokeswoman said on Saturday that the Pennines and Peak District also saw plenty of snow, adding: “The snow is probably peaking at the moment. It should ease off over the course of the next few hours.” |
| The Met Office earlier warned that there was a 90% chance of severe cold, ice or snow in parts of England between this afternoon and New Year’s Eve. | The Met Office earlier warned that there was a 90% chance of severe cold, ice or snow in parts of England between this afternoon and New Year’s Eve. |
| An area including Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia, the north-west, Yorkshire and as far south-east as London and Kent has been put on a separate yellow alert for snow. | An area including Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia, the north-west, Yorkshire and as far south-east as London and Kent has been put on a separate yellow alert for snow. |
| Christmas night was the coldest night of the year so far, with -8.5C (16.7F) recorded at Braemar in Aberdeenshire. | Christmas night was the coldest night of the year so far, with -8.5C (16.7F) recorded at Braemar in Aberdeenshire. |
| Temperatures could also drop as low as -10C (14F) in some places at the start of next week as clearer skies arrive. | Temperatures could also drop as low as -10C (14F) in some places at the start of next week as clearer skies arrive. |
| A Department for Transport spokesman said: “As winter weather grips some areas of the country we would advise people intending to travel to check weather and local conditions before they set out. | A Department for Transport spokesman said: “As winter weather grips some areas of the country we would advise people intending to travel to check weather and local conditions before they set out. |
| “The Highways Agency and local highway authorities across the country are working hard to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.” | “The Highways Agency and local highway authorities across the country are working hard to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.” |