Snow way home- Thousands of drivers are TRAPPED on 'ice rink' motorways and an entire town is blocked off as as forecasters warn Britain faces MORE snow and black ice
Snow way home: Thousands of drivers are TRAPPED on ‘ice rink’ motorways and an entire town is blocked off as as forecasters warn Britain faces MORE snow and black ice
Workers were told to leave early tonight as thousands became stuck on blizzard-hit motorways – while the threat of dangerous black ice forming on the roads looms and the severe weather shows no signs of ending.
At least 2,000 schools across the country serving 800,000-plus children were shut after ‘doomsday’ snow caused chaos with some areas getting up to ten inches overnight on the coldest night in the UK for seven years.
Drivers were told to avoid the M3 at all costs as the motorway became ‘impassable’ at points. Basingstoke residents were left stranded on the motorway for hours, with some drivers having to abandon their cars and walk home after three HGV lorries jackknifed in the middle of the road.
Junctions 6 and 7 southbound were closed with traffic at a complete standstill – but Highways England said that one lane has now been reopened. It tweeted: ‘M3 J6 – J7 westbound Basingstoke, 1 lane is now open but we still have work on-going to get extra lanes open. Long delays from J4 Farnborough.’
Parent Craig Heywood, 29, has been stuck at Junction 6 since 3.30pm this morning trying to pick his son up from nursery.
The father said nursery staff have had to stay late to look after two-year-old Harrison, who’s been worrying why his father still hasn’t arrived.
Mr Heywood, who works at Harwoods Jaguar Land Rover Dealership, said: ‘I left work early today at 3.30pm to make sure I would get to my son’s nursery on time. My work is only 15 minutes from the nursery too.
‘I’ve been stuck here for five hours. I took some bottles of water from work just in case, so I’ve been handing them out to other drivers. As a nation, we’re just not prepared for this weather. Every year it’s the same. I just hope my son’s alright.’
Panicked motorist Samantha Smith missed her 7.30pm flight to Cairo after becoming trapped near Heathrow. She tweeted at British Airways: ‘Do you answer your phones? Stuck in snow on M3 how do we let you know we won’t make check in?’
Jo Roberts said the motorway was an ‘absolute nightmare’ southbound from Basingstoke with ‘snow on top of black ice’. She said: ‘It’s not been gritted. My partner hasn’t moved for 2 hours. Hope it gets moving soon.’
Jo Roberts said