Frozen hell: Britain faces another day of travel chaos with drivers warned of ‘lethal’ icy roads – while rail strikes and plane delays set to bring more misery
- Drivers are being urged to avoid Britain’s roads as hazardous black ice emerges
- AA president Edmund King warned: ‘You can’t see black ice… it’s a silent killer’
- Britain underwent its coldest night of the year on Sunday, plunging to -15.7C
- There are fears commuters may be tempted to drive as strikes disrupt rail travel
Drivers are being urged to avoid the roads where possible – as slushy snow turns to ice – creating potentially ‘lethal’ conditions.
Many local roads will be worse before they get better as a result of bitter weather predicted over the next few days.
The AA has experienced a 135 per cent surge in the number of people calling for advice after a crash over the weekend compared with the same time last year, The Times reports.
AA spokesman Jack Cousens said: ‘Motorists should take real care over the coming day as driving conditions in large parts of the country will be treacherous with ice.
A satellite image shows Britain enveloped in snow yesterday following its coldest night of the year, with temperatures plummeting to -15.7C in Aberdeenshire
‘While main roads and motorways will be the priority, many smaller suburban and rural roads won’t be cleared.
‘Motorists should plan ahead and assess whether their journey is essential until later in the week when the temperature rises and the snow melts.’
He added that local authorities would be doing their utmost but ‘inevitably smaller roads are at the bottom of the pecking order’.
Edmund King, president of the AA, has said ice can be more dangerous than snow due to its poor visibility.
‘Often, when you’ve had snow, it melts a bit, and then it freezes overnight. Next morning you cannot see the ice. You just can’t see black ice,’ he told The Telegraph.
‘It gives a false sense of security,’ he added. ‘ It really is a silent killer.’
A damaged car with used airbags is left abandoned above Eastbourne after heavy snow
The country recorded its coldest nights of the year so far on Sunday night as climes dipped to -15.7C in Aberdeenshire.
But on Monday evening the Met Office had warned that in parts of northern Scotland the mercury could plummet to a low as -20C.
Meanwhile, fresh data showed there were an estimated eight breakdowns every minute after the coldest night of the year, which led to a 50 per cent rise in call outs, the RAC reported.
The company said it responded to 9,000 breakdowns by 5pm after temperatures plummeted on Sunday night.
Heavy snowfall meant hundreds of schools in southern England were closed, with many pupils given work to do electronically.
Councils are reported to be using agency drivers to operate snow ploughs and ice gritters due to a national shortage of HGV drivers. The Local Government Association reports that 1.4million tonnes of salt are being stored by local authorities ready to for roads this winter.
A Southeastern train makes its way through Ashford in Kent as rail services remain disrupted in the icy weather
In Hertfordshire, the M25 came to a screeching halt after heavy snow led to cars being stranded and HGVs to jack-knife.
Up to 25 gritters were at work on the M25 at any one time on Sunday night according to National Highways, spreading 960 tonnes of salt and over 180,000 litres of antifreeze on the road surface.
Other affected routes were the M11, M2, M20, A21 and A249.
Heathrow Airport cancelled over 300 flights on Sunday night, while easyJet said it was doing ‘all possible to minimise disruption for our customers’.
The coming days will see a spate of strikes in the rail industry from RMT and other unions, with fears it will push commuters to use dangerous roads.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: ‘We’re expecting hazardous road conditions to continue into Tuesday following a major refreeze overnight. Those who have to use more rural roads that haven’t been gritted will need to exercise great care, delay or even abandon their plans.’
December’s ‘Calendar of Chaos’ with strikes happening across several sectors
Royal Mail staff, nurses, paramedics, rail workers and Border Force officials will all stage walkouts over jobs, pay and conditions this month as Brits prepare for mayhem over Christmas.
December is being described as the ‘new winter of discontent’ – with bus workers, baggage handlers, environment agency staff and paramedics also taking action.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden called on unions to call off the ‘damaging’ strikes.
But the government is being urged to listen to workers’ demands, negotiate with unions and come to an agreement that will pause the disruption.
South East Coast Ambulance Service tweeted yesterday: ‘Please take extra care on the roads today.
‘As more ice forms, we’re likely to see a number of avoidable traffic collisions.’
December – a month of strikes
Britain faces disruption from widespread industrial action this month as many workers struggling with a cost of living crisis seek pay rises which better reflect double-digit levels of inflation.
Strikes are due to take place on almost every day for the rest of the month, across a range of sectors:
DEC. 12
– Health workers in Northern Ireland
DEC. 13
– More than 40,000 railway workers from the RMT union
– TSSA union rail workers at Avanti West Coast
DEC. 14
– More than 40,000 railway workers from the RMT union
– TSSA union rail workers at Avanti West Coast
– Postal workers
DEC. 15
– Nurses
– Postal workers
DEC. 16
– More than 40,000 railway workers from the RMT union
– TSSA union rail workers at Avanti West Coast
– Security staff at international rail service Eurostar
– Ground handlers employed by Menzies at Heathrow Airport
– National Highways traffic officers in parts of England
– London bus workers employed by Abellio
DEC. 17
– More than 40,000 railway workers from the RMT union, as well as thousands of rail workers from the TSSA union
– Ground handlers employed by Menzies at Heathrow Airport
– National Highways traffic officers in parts of England
– London bus workers employed by Abellio
DEC. 18
– Security staff at international rail service Eurostar
– Ground handlers employed by Menzies at Heathrow Airport
DEC. 20
– Nurses
DEC. 21
– Ambulance workers
DEC. 22
– Security staff at international rail service Eurostar
– National Highways traffic officers in parts of England
DEC. 23
– Postal workers
– Security staff at international rail service Eurostar
– Border Force workers at major airports
– National Highways traffic officers in parts of England
DEC. 24
– More than 40,000 railway workers from the RMT union
– Postal workers
– Border Force workers at major airports
– National Highways traffic officers in parts of England
DEC. 25
– More than 40,000 railway workers from the RMT union
– Border Force workers at major airports
– National Highways traffic officers in parts of England
DEC. 26
– More than 40,000 railway workers from the RMT union
– Border Force workers at major airports
DEC. 27
– More than 40,000 railway workers from the RMT union
DEC. 28
– Ambulance workers
– Border Force workers at major airports
DEC. 29
– Border Force workers at major airports
DEC. 30
– Border Force workers at major airports
– National Highways traffic officers in parts of England
DEC. 31
– Border Force workers at major airports
– National Highways traffic officers in parts of England
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