-Caveat Lector- 10am update http://www.guardian.co.uk/weather/Story/0,2763,886210,00.html Big freeze brings travel chaos
� Some drivers trapped in gridlock overnight � Temperatures drop below 2C � Police: "M11 is effectively a car park" Staff and agencies Friday January 31, 2003 The Guardian Drivers in parts of the country hit by snow and ice were today warned only to drive if absolutely necessary after the big freeze caused gridlocks and travel chaos. Some commuters reported still being stuck in an horrendous traffic jam on the M11 in Essex and Cambridgeshire this morning, having set off to travel home from work yesterday evening. Forecasters said that snow was still falling in Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of north Yorkshire this morning. London and the south east are set to clear but, with temperatures expected to remain below 2C (35.6F), roads are likely to remain dangerously icy, PA WeatherCentre warned. The M11 remained closed this morning between junction eight northbound and junction nine southbound, Essex police said. The motorway was blocked last night by a series of accidents, jack-knifed lorries and abandoned cars, and police are advising motorists not to use the M11 or A14 as both remain "impassable". A spokesman for Cambridge police said that the M11 is "effectively a car park", adding: "Roads are completely congested and extremely dangerous this morning." Stansted airport was closed last night for safety reasons, but is expected to reopen later today. Many services were also cancelled at Heathrow and Gatwick, airport operator BAA said. A BAA spokeswoman explained: "Customers should allow extra time for their journey to the airport, and may also experience some delays to their departure due to the disruption caused by the bad weather." Hundreds of thousands of commuters trying to get home from London last night were stranded for hours, with major routes gridlocked, bus services minimal and tube lines suspended. AA Roadwatch said that it was the worst congestion seen in the capital for several years. London Underground passengers were already facing chaos because of the closure of the Central line and Waterloo and City lines following last weekend's derailment at Chancery Lane. Mainline train services were also hit, with severe delays and cancellations on Wagn, Anglia and First Great Eastern services into and out of Liverpool Street ,and Silverlink and Virgin services to and from Euston. Thameslink trains between Bedford and Brighton are running to a temporary timetable, with a reduced service, today. In east Lincolnshire, 10,000 people were left without heating and light, and about 30 schools closed early. The appalling weather may also have contributed to the death of a schoolgirl, Rianna Davenport, who was crushed by a falling tree at her primary school in Ashtead, Surrey. PA WeatherCentre forecaster Paul Mott said that the east of the country will again be hit by snow tonight. "It could be heavy for a time, leading to more dangerous, icy conditions," he added. A spokesman for AA Roadwatch said: "Our advice remains that people should think carefully about whether their journey is necessary and take great care if they do drive." Cambridgeshire police warned motorists not to travel unless their journey was "absolutely imperative", with most major routes around the county gridlocked. "Because of the weather conditions, there are effectively no diversionary routes on any minor roads," he said. BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Peter Allen was still stuck on the A1 at 6.30am today, having left work in London at 9pm yesterday. He told BBC Breakfast that the road was "just a total mess," and added: "There are lorries strewn all over the place." Motorist Stuart Grist told BBC Breakfast that he was still stuck on the M11 at 6am as he tried to get to his home in Essex. He had left Bristol at 2pm yesterday. The A120 in Essex and the A31 in Surrey have also been closed for long periods, AA Roadwatch said. Drivers stranded in cars should try to keep their engines on and keep warm, and ring police only in an absolute emergency. Cambridgeshire police received about 1,000 emergency calls during the night, a spokesman said. Some drivers spent the night sleeping in the reception area of the Holiday Inn at Histon, Cambridge, after abandoning their journeys because of the weather. One, Paul Stewart, who was travelling in a van with two other people, told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "We left Great Yarmouth at 4.30pm on our way to Cardiff, and the A11 was treacherous. It has taken me 10 hours to get where I am now." The group arrived at the hotel at 5am after getting a few hours sleep in the van. Guardian Unlimited � Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 Forwarded for your information. 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