Commuters endure travel chaos as snow falls

Commuters endured travel chaos today as "the most widespread snow" of the winter blanketed Britain.

The snow began to fall in the early hours of this morning, with southern areas and the Midlands particularly badly affected.

A forecaster for MeteoGroup UK, the weather division of the Press Association, said that about 7cm of snow was lying across the South Midlands, extending across the Home Counties.

"There is already quite a bit of heavy snow," he said. "A few places in Buckinghamshire have had 10cm of snow already.

"It is inching its way northwards and has reached Liverpool and the North Wales Coast, getting into Cambridgeshire and Norfolk."

He added that today's weather was "the most widespread snow event of the winter.

"We just haven't had this sort of thing in recent years."

In mountainous areas snow levels are expected to reach 10-15cm.

The snow is spreading north and is due to peter out towards midday, turning icy later, he said.

Thousands of airline passengers are being affected as airports face difficulties in the bad weather.

A spokesman at Heathrow Airport said a full team of "snow specialists" has been working through the night to keep the airport running as normal.

British Airways has cancelled about 25 flights, while American Airlines has cancelled one, but this was only a "handful" compared with the total number of flights from the airport, he said.

A spokeswoman at Gatwick Airport said about 20 flights today had been cancelled. She advised passengers to check the situation with airlines and come and check in as normal.

Luton Airport was closed because of the bad weather, Sky News reported.

Airport spokesman Simon Harley said: "Unfortunately due to the adverse weather the airport is officially closed for the next two to four hours.

"We are advising all passengers to turn up as normal, however be warned that they could be subject to delays or potentially cancellations.

"All passengers with flights after 9am today are advised to talk to their airlines directly for further information."

He added that about 15,000 to 20,0000 passengers were being affected by the closure.

The runway at Stansted Airport was shut just after 6am.

A spokeswoman said more than half a million square metres of snow would have to be cleared, using more than 40 snow-clearing vehicles.

"We are doing all we can," she said. Around 35 departing flights were cancelled at the airport, with some diverted to other airports.

Flights were delayed at Cardiff international Airport where the runway was closed because of the snow.

Passengers were advised to check in as normal, leaving extra time for their journey to the airport.

A spokeswoman said: "The runway is closed at the moment and we are working to clear it."

She said the approach roads to the airport were also affected by snow, although they were not closed.

An army of gritters has been out in force to help motorists reach their destinations today.

Transport for London's (TfL) salt spreaders have been salting the road network overnight and will continue this morning as the snow falls.

A vehicle with a snow plough has been clearing snow in the Islington area of the city, where several centimetres of snow has settled overnight.

Snowfall was a couple of centimetres thick on the A10 between the M25 and Shoreditch, before being cleared.

Snow has also been cleared from the entrances of several bus depots in the city, including at Liverpool Street and Aldgate.

Disruption to London's Tube services caused suspensions and severe delays on several lines, TfL said, with a "small number" of station closures across the network at present, predominantly in the the west of London.

Drivers were advised to check weather forecasts and road conditions before they travel.

The Highways Agency said 400 salt-spreading vehicles were on stand-by.

It advised drivers against travel in severe weather unless their journey was essential and urged people to listen to travel bulletins while on the road.

They were also told to make sure they were prepared, with warm clothes, food, water, boots, de-icer, a torch and spade, particularly for long journeys.

Train services run by South West Trains and Southern into London and First Great Western to Gatwick Airport were among those cancelled or disrupted by the snow.

Virtually every train out of Guildford station in Surrey was delayed - one by 48 minutes.

The weather is also causing school closures. Schools on the west side of Birmingham are closed today because of the snow, Sky News reported.

More than 100 schools across south and mid Wales were reported closed due to the weather, and a number of mountain roads were also shut to traffic.

Industry chiefs have warned that transport failures today could cost the economy hundreds of millions of pounds.

David Frost, Director-General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "The impact of this weather forecast on Britain will be huge.

"It is expected that the lateness and loss of work hours caused by transport disruptions will cost the British economy up to £400 million."