Afternoon:
9°c
Schools close as fresh snow blows in
20 Jan 2010Some 50 schools were closed in one county today as snow began to cause fresh disruption in the South West.
A notice on Gloucestershire County Council's website said: "Parents should assume that all external exams will go ahead this week regardless of school closures due to bad weather."
Traffic was reported to be "gridlocked" on the busy A417 at Birdlip near Cheltenham, with the Highways Agency closing a number of roads in the area.
One commuter wrote on the Gloucestershire Echo website: "Traffic is still at a standstill. Literally moved about 10ft in the last half an hour."
Some gritters were also stuck in traffic, the county's police force said.
A lorry jack-knifed on the A419 at Sapperton, closing the road.
Duty Inspector Paula Hannaford said: "We understand that these delays must be very frustrating for those stuck in traffic as they head to work or on the school run.
"We would like to reassure those attempting to travel around the county this morning in these poor weather conditions that we are working with the Highways Agency and doing all we can to clear the roads and get you moving again as soon as possible.
Officers were using 4x4s to get to collisions.
Heavy snow was also causing delays on the A436 at Severn Springs, the force said.
Last night, the council said its gritters would be treating all A and some B roads from 5am.
The heavy band of snow was expected to turn to lighter rain and sleet later, with the region's heaviest snowfall forecast for the Cotswolds.
Eight schools in Shropshire and four in Herefordshire were forced to close their doors after a fresh wave of snow swept into the area.
Herefordshire Council confirmed that refuse and recycling collections were continuing as long as weather permitted, while primary routes across the county were again being gritted, although some roads remained closed due to flooding.
A council spokesman added: "The council has planned adequate supplies of rock salt and deliveries have been received early this morning."
No school closures or major problems were reported by authorities in neighbouring South Gloucestershire, Bristol and Wiltshire, with only sleet falling.
Somerset, Devon and Cornwall were also unaffected, both councils said.
Forecasters said today's flurries would not mirror the Arctic weather seen earlier this month.
Up to 2in (5cm) could settle over the Welsh hills by the afternoon, said MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, with lesser amounts falling over higher areas of the West Midlands and central southern England.
Paul Mott, from MeteoGroup, said: "It doesn't look like a major snow event. Anything that falls over lower levels will be very slushy and won't last long at all."
The snow is being caused by cold air from the Continent meeting a frontal system coming in from the Atlantic.
Affected areas will not shiver in the sub-zero conditions experienced last week and the week before, with maximum temperatures reaching around 3C (37F) today.
The wintry weather was expected to move away tonight, with another front arriving from the Atlantic tomorrow evening and bringing wind, heavy rain and sleet over the hills.
The first supplies of gritting salt ordered from the US and Spain were due to arrive in the UK today, and the relaxation of lorry drivers' permitted working hours introduced to keep supplies flowing earlier in the month have been extended for a further seven days.
Reader views (5)
and what exactly is third world about London's bus service Dave ? whether under Ken or Boris the bus service is very good, frequent and reasonably priced, clean and reasonably safe. Getting rid of the bendy buses was good news - free transport that jams the streets - and Ken binning the Routemasters after promising not to was bad news, but they ran throughout the recent snowfalls.
- Squiz, Islington, 20/01/2010 12:02
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why do people say how great it is with snow tyres where they live "Veliko Turnovo" it snows once every 20 years in London should all have snow tyres in case! idiot
- Peter Woods, Torre Chianca, 20/01/2010 11:36
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Ah well we have had snow here for the third day now and yesterday we had our streets cleared , its only a small town , and how much is my poll tax here a huge 40 pounds a year , but no grit is used , every car has winter tyres and traffic moves well all around , Your Boris [ mayor ] should come out here and learn something .
- Andrew Davies, Veliko Turnovo, 20/01/2010 10:13
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Thankfully,as Eton boy Boris was sure to add a snow Tax untop of the 20% Tax he has already put on Londons third world bus service.
- Dave, london, 20/01/2010 10:05
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after the disruption with the artic conditions the cross border burglars are back with a full service,no job to little
- Scony, middlesbrough, 20/01/2010 09:30
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