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UK weather: snow disruption continues with hundreds of drivers stranded – live UK weather: snow disruption continues with hundreds of drivers stranded – live
(about 4 hours later)
You can add South Western Railway to the list of operators experiencing major problems (see 1.18pm update) Army assistance during the extreme weather in Scotland is tonight extended to Tayside and Fife, where soldiers and military 4x4s will be helping transport essential staff to and from their hospitals.
I can’t get on its website at the moment, presumably due to the volume of commuters - like me - attempting to check their journey home, but last time I looked there was “major disruption” on most, if not all routes. NHS Tayside and NHS Fife requested the assistance given their more rural nature and the increased staff travelling distances.
At any rate, it will not be running any services at all after 8pm tonight. Last night soldiers helped to transport some 200 critical care staff to hospitals in Edinburgh. Patient transport continues to be provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
*URGENT*-02/03 Our service will be closing down by 20:00 today. We are urging you not to attempt to travel. If you have already travelled, please return as early as possible. For further information, please see https://t.co/pkL7rv4JVT With freezing conditions out on the street, there has been heightened concern about the plight of homeless people.
A building supply company donated pipes to Devon and Cornwall police searching for cars buried in huge snowdrifts. My colleague Damien Gayle has a moving interview with 66-year-old Richard Curtis, released from hospital onto the streets of London.
Massive thanks to @RGBArchie for donating the piping to use as avalanche poles. Searching for buried cars in snow drifts @DC_PoliceDTU @DC_Police pic.twitter.com/icr7I6dZQy You can read the full piece ‘Discharged to the streets’: one homeless man’s struggle in freezing London by following the link, but below is an extract.
The pipes were used as makeshift avalanche poles on Devon’s deluged A386. With an air temperature of -4C, for Curtis it was like trying to breathe soup. The 66-year-old suffers from lung disease – stage IV chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – which cold air and large changes in temperature can badly aggravate. For a rough sleeper on the coldest week of winter, it is a major handicap.
Officers and partners still working long hours attending collisions and stranded vehicles. Thanks to the local building firm for giving our officers the poles here to search for vehicles on A386! Much of N&W Devon is still inaccessible- follow police advice. Supt Toby Davies. pic.twitter.com/SrbOaok4qg “The cold makes life very difficult for me,” he croaks, in a toothless high-pitched whisper. “Because with this lifestyle – if it is a lifestyle – you need to be very active. There’s certain places where there’s the street handouts, there’s certain places where things happen at a certain time of day, so you need to move around. And if you’re slow you’ll just miss it.”
Theresa May began her big Brexit speech today by thanking public sector workers and volunteers for helping those hit by the weather. The “beast from the east”, which brought snow and a deep freeze this week, has caused chaos across Britain. But few will have felt its impact more than the thousands of homeless people on the streets.
Opening a speech that had been switched from Newcastle to London’s Mansion house because of the severe weather, the prime minister said: Government figures claim there are just 4,750 people sleeping rough on a given night, but homeless charity workers are critical of the methodology behind the count. Crisis estimates there are about 8,000 sleeping on the street, plus another 8,000 hidden homeless who snatch their sleep in toilets or cars or public transport. Add in those who are sofa surfing or living in hostels or squats and the true figure balloons to 144,000, the charity says.
I would just like to take a moment to thank everyone in our country who is going the extra mile to help people at this time. I’m thinking of our emergency services and armed forces working to keep people safe, our NHS staff, care workers and all those keeping our public services going, and the many volunteers who are giving their time to help those in need. Your contribution is a special part of who we are as a country and it is all the more appreciated at a moment like this. More than 1,900 flights were cancelled to or from UK and Irish airports on Friday, according to the Press Association.
Up to 2,000 people stranded in Center Parcs Longleat have been told they can stay the weekend free. Heathrow saw at least 370 flights cancelled, representing around 30% of all scheduled services.
@matthew_weaver confirmed that we can stay for free for the weekend 👍 pic.twitter.com/jTJ7KAWtVy Weather update: Extreme wintry conditions expected to continue in the UK & Europe today. Please continue to check your flight status with your airline before making your way to Heathrow, and take extra care when travelling. https://t.co/XxbDtyaoYr
Earlier Center Parcs left guest in limbo at Whinfell Forest in Cumbria and Longleat Forest in Wiltshire (see earlier). They were told not to leave their lodges because of blocked roads around both villages. Until now the holiday company had not made clear whether stranded guests at Longleat would be allowed to stay. Dublin Airport was forced to close, leading to 342 cancellations, while Edinburgh saw 219 flights unable to operate.
Virgin Trains said it will not run any cross-border trains between England and Scotland on Friday. Staff at Glasgow Airport overcame “the worst snowfall in our history” to ensure the runway was open on Friday, although there were 132 cancellations. Meanwhile, London City Airport saw at least 185 cancellations.
A Virgin Trains spokesman said: “We are working hard to look after our customers in whatever way we can and ticket restrictions on both routes have been lifted today, so customers who do decide to travel can do so on any service, but are advised to check our websites for the most up to date information before going to the station.” More than 5,400 flights have been cancelled to or from European airports since Wednesday, meaning many UK travellers are now stranded abroad.
The only trains running on the west coast main line between Glasgow and Carlisle are snow ploughs. A spokesman for travel trade organisation Abta said:
@NetworkRailSCOT @AlastairDalton @chris_railway @DRSgovuk The big ploughs are out, fighting the beast from the East, seen passing Thankerton on the WCML at 1303 on Friday 2 March 2018 pic.twitter.com/zrubW5dXpY Customers who are overseas and whose flight arrangements are delayed or cancelled should liaise with their tour operator or airline regarding changes to their travel itineraries and new flight arrangements.
Police in Wiltshire believe that everyone who was stranded on the closed A303 have now been rescued. If their flight is in the European Union or their airline is an EU carrier, customers will be entitled to food, refreshment and overnight accommodation or a refund of proportionate costs and will be flown home as soon as is possible at their airline’s expense.
We believe everyone stranded on the A303 has now been rescued by our officers. If you are still stranded and we haven't reached you, call 101. The road remains closed. Highways England have confirmed there has been a car accident westbound on the A38 in East Devon, but say 10 – not 40 – vehicles are involved.
Major incidents were declared in Wiltshire Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall and Hampshire, after hundreds of drivers were stranded on roads in the west country. The A303 was worst hit with drivers complaining of being stuck in their vehicles for 15 hours. Around 40 people, including a baby, were stuck on a bus from London on the road. The agency say that the incident, near Splatford Split, was caused by severe weather conditions.
Those who were stuck on the A346 between Swindon and Marlborough are now safe. They were rescued and initially moved to the village hall at Chiseldon; they are now being taken by bus to Swindon. Volunteers from the Red Cross have been assisting. They told the Guardian that 40 vehicles were being held while authorities dealt with the “minor collision”. Other reports had suggested that 40 cars were involved in the pile up.
We’ve been out doing our bit in an attempt to help stranded travellers in these Siberian conditions ❄️🐾 #StormEmma #BeastoftheEast #A346 #wiltshire #Marlborough #Swindon pic.twitter.com/FpHtDuMgnA No injuries have been reported, according to the agency, who have also highlighted reports of black ice.
The red and amber weather warnings may have been lifted but yellow, be prepared warning for snow and ice, still apply to much of the UK. The Environment Agency have issued 15 flood warnings and 36 flood alerts in place across the country, as melting snow and ice are expected to cause further issues when the weather warms up.
A yellow severe weather warning for #ice has been updated: https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs Stay #weatheraware @metofficeuk pic.twitter.com/9mENxreRQI Red warnings – meaning “flooding is expected – immediate action required” – are mainly in force in the South West and North East issue.
A number of major roads remain closed including the M90 in Scotland, the A68 and A1 in the Borders, and the A303 and A46 in the west country. Amber flooding alerts – meaning “flooding is possible – be prepared” – are also mainly in force in the same parts of Britain, though there are outliers in London and Gloucestershire.
⛔ M90 S/B J2a and #A92 CLOSED ⛔@policescotland holding traffic while @SETrunkRoads clears up from #Beastfromtheeast! pic.twitter.com/Yntn7CuIWX We will be keeping a close eye on melting snow w/ @metoffice as conditions warm slightly next week. A steady thaw would mean rivers & ground would be able to absorb extra water without increasing flood risk. Pls do keep checking our alerts and warnings: https://t.co/PuexEILD5C
#A68 and #A1 updates - #closed Don't even set off for these routes. And the sideroads are #closeder Follow our friends @trafficscotland for updates. https://t.co/5YOeDZ2KVV The AA have been counting the cost of collisions on the roads, suggesting that snow and ice have been responsible for some 13,100 incidents since the inclement weather began.
The #A303 in #Devon remains CLOSED bothways btn #A30 and #A358 nr #Marsh. Severe conditions in the area has led to collisions and stranded vehicles. We have welfare vehicles at scene. Road users are advised to make essential journeys only due to ongoing weather conditions The organisation say that has cost some £17 million but add that the number of claims they are receiving is falling, which they believe is down to drivers heeding advice to not travel unless necessary.
A4 is open as far as we are aware, A46 however is closed Michael Lloyd, AA’s director of insurance, said:
NHS chief executive Simon Stevens has praised the heroic efforts of his staff in defiance of this week’s arctic conditions. the total number of claims is falling – although the proportion attributable to icy mishaps remains at about two-thirds of all claims.
He said: “Once again the NHS is showing that we are there for people when they need us and that’s all down to our staff, so a huge thank you to everybody across the NHS who is going the extra mile for people at this highly pressurised time.” This means that while there are fewer cars, there is a greater likelihood of being involved in some kind of collision.
Stevens singled out a London paramedic and staff at Sunderland for a special mention. The organisation have also listed some of the more “peculiar” claims reported to them, including:
He said: “We’ve seen examples across the country, including Kat, a paramedic from London Ambulance service, who cycled to her blue light emergencies when the vehicles couldn’t get through. And staff in Sunderland who stayed overnight in the hospital last night, as has happened in many places around the country in order to be there for patients.” Had a collision and we were exchanging details when another car hit both of our cars
Kat on our #StPancrasCRU team has been taking on the #BeastFromTheEast head-on to get to patients through the #snow, & is ready for #StormEmma!Here she is caught on video, making good progress, with no complaints, & a smile on her face! #NHSHeroThank you Kat!💪👏🚲🌨❄️☃️ pic.twitter.com/oNv1s5ChBI Swerved to miss oncoming car and ended up sliding on roof into the ditch
Sunderland football club says it will provide a makeshift shelter for homeless and vulnerable people in the Stadium of Light this weekend. Slid off the road hitting a wheelie bin and ending up in a bus shelter
It has a special warm-room complete with places to sleep, hot food and hot drinks for those in need of shelter. Deliveroo say they are encouraging their riders to notify homelessness charity StreetLink of anyone they see sleeping rough on the streets tonight.
Pets are also welcome, the club said. The food delivery company say that their 10,000 strong fleet across England and Wales will be sent a text message which says:
There are still major problems on many main rail routes. Seen someone sleeping outside, while you’ve been out riding? Help them by telling StreetLink via the app or call 0300 500 0914. More here: www.streetlink.org.uk
South Eastern Railway has urged people not to travel on it network. The charity enables members of the public to alert relevant local authorities to people on the streets who need support.
Storm damage to fencing and coping storms at Dawlish in Devon has cut the rail link to Cornwall. A 70-year-old man has died in Devon, taking the number of weather-related fatalities to six. He was rescued from cliffs in Torquay, Devon, after failing to return to his Newton Abbott phone. A homeless man, named locally as Ben, died while sleeping in freezing temperatures in a tent in Retford, Nottinghamshire. On Thursday, a seven-year-old girl died after a car crashed into a house in Looe, Cornwall; a 75-year-old woman was found dead in a street in Leeds; and a 46-year-old van driver died after a collision in Hampshire. A man who died on Wednesday in Welling, south-east London, was named as Stephen Cavanagh, 60.
Arriva Trains to south Wales are cancelled until further notice.
Snow ploughs are still trying to clear the west coat main line from Carlisle to Glasgow.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: There is SEVERE disruption across the entire network at the moment, with no trains running in east Kent. Please DO NOT TRAVEL at the moment - we're working with @NetworkRailSE to get things up and running as quickly as we can. pic.twitter.com/L62kjYpFbL
Update on the railway line through #Dawlish; connecting #Devon and #Cornwall with rest of Britain.No rail services today due to damage. #TeamOrange are already on site and will be working around the clock to make the railway safe so that it can reopen. pic.twitter.com/3pZpH1bwPI
⚠️ Passenger advice ⚠️Despite considerable effort by railway teams, services in the South are cancelled until further notice. Information about services tomorrow (3 March) will be shared later today.Keep an eye on JourneyCheck for updates:https://t.co/ebqza1r41d pic.twitter.com/4zsEw8kHKV
Drivers eye view of a test train travelling between #PortGlasgow & #Gourock to check the route is safe for the re-introduction of passenger services.As well as showing the wintry conditions, it shows the challenges the teams on the ground face dealing with them pic.twitter.com/xQifAqXbtT
Meanwhile, some rail travellers have been delayed after push-button train doors froze up.
A driver on a London Northwestern service apologised to passengers travelling between London and Tring, Hertfordshire.
He said cold weather had caused the opening mechanisms on some doors to freeze.
The driver delayed departures from stations to give passengers time to find a door which was working.
Network Rail Western has praised the efforts of “Team Orange” - its hardy track workers.
In Par, Cornwall, they have used leaf blowers to clear snow from the line. Further north a worker called Gerry dug snow through the night to keep the points clear at Bristol Parkway station.
They also faced some spectacular icicles at Rainbow Hill Tunnel in Worcester.
Extreme weather conditions are being seen all across the route. This spectacular scene from Rainbow Hill Tunnel in Worcester shows just how cold it is. Team Orange continue to tackle the elements to keep the railway running #Worcester #TeamOrange pic.twitter.com/euYhnGa3A2
Meanwhile in south Wales, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood thanked her milkman, John the Milk, for getting through.
She tweeted: “The #Rhondda is under snow yet John the Milk still does his rounds. Da iawn a diolch John. Fantastic.”
Not only overjoyed to still have milk delivered to the door, but impressed beyond that it’s been delivered today. The #Rhondda is under snow yet John the Milk still does his rounds. Da iawn a diolch John. Fantastic #CommunityService 💚💛 pic.twitter.com/CsTfLPrj1H
The weather has even defeated some snow ploughs and gritters.
It's still really icy out there! This is one of our gritters on the A379 on Labrador Bends near Shaldon. Fortunately everyone unharmed but we're a gritter down until it can be recovered. #WeatherSW pic.twitter.com/vWHx8Ga8DH
@EDCouncil rescued your gritter stockiemuir road. pic.twitter.com/m3NTz15k14
Our first Gritter from the morning run is back and it looks like they've had a right battle with the #BeastFromTheEast ❄️🚍Once they're all back, refuelled and refilled we'll be back on another run.Time and details are tbc. pic.twitter.com/1waOangx6w
Fri 2nd March: Gritter drivers had a busy night across #Buckinghamshire last night. Ploughs were deployed across much of the network as drivers battled #snow like this scene in #HighWycombe in the early hours... Many routes affected this morning, check before travel. pic.twitter.com/OOD66RLJBw
Some 30,000 homes and business are without power in Ireland, with the country still in shut-down mode as schools and public buildings remain closed and bus and rail services cancelled.
Met Eireann lifted its blizzard warning at 7.30am removing its advice that people remain indoors, but the red weather alert remains in place until 6pm with strong easterly winds for Munster, Leinster and County Galway.
RTE’s correspondent Ciaran Mullooly reporting “all roads” in the county “impassable” with up to three feet of snow in county Offaly in the midlands with exceptional snow drifts in Cork and Wexford in the south.
Michael McEvoy from the County Offaly Fire & Rescue services pictured in 3 feet of snow in the N52 at Durrow this morning . This road links Tullamore to the N6 Dublin to Galway motorway pic.twitter.com/qRbNSNENfm
@josefoshea #Snow plough on Barrack Street, #Cork. #CorkCity #Snowmageddon pic.twitter.com/yJOrxjjem7
The national forecaster said conditions remained treacherous in places with snow drifts and the risk of black ice.
In Northern Ireland 400 schools were closed and public transport also ground to a halt in some areas.
Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) president Barclay Bell told the Newsletter that the region appeared “divided”, with Armagh and Down bearing the brunt of the snow while some areas were untouched by the storm.
Tony Lacey in Wexford in the south of the country, which was badly affected by Storm Emma, posted video showing the build up of snow on the main shopping streets.
Wexford town got it bad. #StormEmma #beastfromtheeast #snow #ireland pic.twitter.com/uqgNXBfZmX
A man sustained “life changing injuries” after he fell awkwardly on his neck from a wall while taking photographs of the now in Cork.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Friday repeated the warning for people not to attempt to drive on roads.
“We’re still in state of red alert. It’s ok to go outside, but no unnecessary travel. The snow will continue to fall today,” he said.
“It’s going to take the weekend to get things back to normal.”
Most public transport services are still suspended with no flights from major airports with runways at Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Knock all remaining closed.
There will be no flights at Dublin airport but a spokeswoman said ice clearing crews were working hard to get themselves into “a good position for Saturday morning”.
Belfast Airport said it was “open and operational” but some flight had been cancelled.
Next stop Capel Street. I've always loved this vista up to City Hall, but I'd never seen it like this before... #Dublin #Ireland #Photography #sneachta #architecture #BeastFromTheEast pic.twitter.com/OmVrgQHkhS
Major incidents have been declared in Wiltshire Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall and Hampshire, after hundreds of drivers were stranded on roads in the west country. The A303 was worst hit with drivers complaining of being stuck in their vehicles for 15 hours. Around 40 people including a baby were stuck on a bus from London stranded on the A303.
At least 9,000 households endured a night with out power. Electricity North West blamed outages affecting 5,000 homes in its area, on 100 separate faults on the network. Western Power said around 4,000 homes in south-west England and Wales were without power.
The military has been deployed to help clear snow-covered roads in and around Greater Manchester. The armed forces are also providing assistance in Lincolnshire, Edinburgh, Shropshire, and Devon.
The main hospital in Exeter has postponed all planned surgery and diagnostic appointments, due to the severe weather. An “Internal critical incident” has been declared by the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust.
South Western Railway has apologised to dozens of passengers who were stuck in trains overnight. A total of five trains were stranded overnight on the route between London and Weymouth, Network Rail said.
More than 1,250 flights to or from UK and Irish airports were cancelled on Friday.More than 1,250 flights to or from UK and Irish airports were cancelled on Friday.
Thousands of schools have closed. They include the majority of schools in Wales, 400 schools in Northern Ireland, and all 279 schools in Cornwall.Thousands of schools have closed. They include the majority of schools in Wales, 400 schools in Northern Ireland, and all 279 schools in Cornwall.
Train lines urged passengers not to travel as services were cancelled or delayed and/or announced they would stop operating early on Friday. Disruption occured across the network. South Western Railway apologised to dozens of passengers who were stuck in trains overnight. A total of five trains were stranded overnight on the route between London and Weymouth, Network Rail said.
More than 1,250 flights to or from UK and Irish airports were cancelled on Friday.
Thousands of schools have closed. They include the majority of schools in Wales, 400 schools in Northern Ireland, and all 279 schools in Cornwall.
The main hospital in Exeter has postponed all planned surgery and diagnostic appointments, due to the severe weather. An “Internal critical incident” has been declared by the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust.
Flood warnings have been issued for parts of Cornwall’s south coast. At least five homes were flooded in Porthallow and the main rail line at Dawlish in Devon has been blocked by high tides and broken down trains.Flood warnings have been issued for parts of Cornwall’s south coast. At least five homes were flooded in Porthallow and the main rail line at Dawlish in Devon has been blocked by high tides and broken down trains.
Five people are so far known to have died in weather-related incidents. A homeless man, named locally as Ben, died while sleeping in freezing temperatures in a tent in Retford, Nottinghamshire. On Thursday, a seven-year-old girl died after a car crashed into a house in Looe, Cornwall; a 75-year-old woman was found dead in a street in Leeds; and a 46-year-old van driver died after a collision in Hampshire. A man who died on Wednesday in Welling, south-east London, was named as Stephen Cavanagh, 60. Major incidents were declared in Wiltshire Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall and Hampshire, after hundreds of drivers were stranded on roads in the west country. The A303 was worst hit with drivers complaining of being stuck in their vehicles for 15 hours. Around 40 people including a baby were stuck on a bus from London stranded on the A303. At around 1.30pm today, Wiltshire police said they believed they had rescued everyone.
At least 9,000 households in England and Wales endured a night with out power. Electricity North West blamed outages affecting 5,000 homes in its area, on 100 separate faults on the network. Western Power said around 4,000 homes in south-west England and Wales were without power. In Ireland, some 30,000 homes and business were without power.
The military has been deployed to help clear snow-covered roads in and around Greater Manchester. At one point on Thursday night, some 3,500 vehicles were stuck on the M62, 200 of which remained there overnight. The armed forces are also providing assistance in Lincolnshire, Edinburgh, Shropshire, and Devon.
Up to 4,000 guests at separate Center Parcs camps in Cumbria and Wiltshire have been urged to stay in their lodges because weather conditions make it too difficult to leave. Center Parcs has cancelled all of next week’s bookings at Longleat Forest in Wiltshire.Up to 4,000 guests at separate Center Parcs camps in Cumbria and Wiltshire have been urged to stay in their lodges because weather conditions make it too difficult to leave. Center Parcs has cancelled all of next week’s bookings at Longleat Forest in Wiltshire.
Around 40 people including a baby were stuck on a bus from London stranded on the A303, Avon and Somerset police have said. At one point on Thursday night, some 3,500 vehicles were stuck on the M62, according to Asst Chf Con Robert Potts, of Greater Manchester police.
A snowplough was used to free the bus and those on board are now on their way to Wincanton town hall, which the local authority has opened as a refuge centre. He said some 200 vehicles remained there overnight before they were brought off the motorway on Friday morning.
The force said: “Conditions in Avon and Somerset remain treacherous. We continue to tell people don’t travel. Any runners wondering whether the cold is sufficient excuse not to run in the Bath half marathon on Sunday will be pleased to know the decision has been taken out of their hands.
We currently have 20 significant incidents across Avon and Somerset with people stranded in snow drifts. There are on-going multi agency operations, which started overnight, continuing to help those who are stranded. Latest update: SUNDAY’S BATH HALF MARATHON IS CANCELLED We are announcing with deep regret that unfortunately the race on Sunday will not now go ahead https://t.co/oVpGv4JPgV pic.twitter.com/Iqxp6NbL09
“We are currently in the process, as a matter of urgency, of rescuing people from two vehicles – one on Dunkery Beacon in west Somerset and another vehicle at Burrington Combe, north Somerset.” Cardiff airport will not reopen until 6am tomorrow.
Drivers reported being stuck for 17 hours on the A303 between Ilminster in Somerset and Mere in Wiltshire. Thomas Hamilton, a 36-year-old sales director, was heading from his home in London to a friend’s farm when he got caught in the queue. *TRAVEL UPDATE* Due to ongoing weather conditions the airport will remain closed until 0600 tomorrow (3 March) customers are advised not to travel to the airport and to contact their airline for info. Fingers crossed for tomorrow! We'll keep you updated. pic.twitter.com/m7nIaVKcWC
“I left London at 6pm. We came to a standstill at the start of the A303 around midnight. There were lorries and cars in both lanes trying to get up the hill. We drove past a burned-out car, then we didn’t move until 9:30am.”
Hamilton, who was stuck only 10 miles from his destination, said he moved for the first time in hours this morning after “a soldier got out in a hi-vis jacket with another good Samaritan and moved lorries”.