Drivers face being stranded as Arctic air brings snow and ice to parts of UK

Credit: PA

Drivers face being stranded as Arctic air bringing snow and ice threatens to cause travel disruption in parts of the UK.

National Highways has issued a severe weather alert for snow affecting the north west, with road users advised to plan ahead, and some rural communities warned they could be temporarily cut off.

And, as gritters try to ramp up their salt-spreading operations, road users have been told to give them "time and space" after a number of collisions.

At least five gritters were struck and damaged by other vehicles last winter, according to National Highways.

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National Highways has about 530 gritters, which is about one for every eight miles of road it manages.. Credit: PA

Darren Clark, severe weather resilience manager at National Highways, said: “If you are going to pass us, please do so courteously, pass us safely and legally."

He added that staying back may actually help keep the roads safer for everyone.

Met Office meteorologist Liam Eslick said temperatures will be about 5C to 6C lower than usual for this time of year.

A snow and ice warning is in place from 3am on Monday until 9am on Tuesday across Northern Ireland with another for ice in place until 11am on Monday across parts of north east Wales and north west England from Liverpool to the West Midlands.

A Met Office meteorologist said the weather could bring some travel disruption Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA

In Scotland, a similar warning is in place in northern areas until midnight on Monday. The warning area will then spread across the whole of Scotland and into northern England on Tuesday.

A snow and ice warning will be in place from midnight on Wednesday until midnight on Thursday across Northern Ireland, northern and western Scotland, parts of northern England and Wales.

The Met Office has also issued a warning for snow and ice in parts of East Anglia, including Norwich, which runs from 7am on Monday until midnight.

Mr Eslick said: “Especially towards the North where we do have these warnings, we’re likely to see some travel disruption.

“So we would recommend people stick to the main roads and avoid country lanes where possible.

“These are the places that aren’t going to see any gritting or any road clearances for the next couple of days.

“So we recommend people take their time, make sure they have time to do their cars in the mornings, and go steady.”

He said: “So essentially we’re looking at a strong northerly wind which is bringing in Arctic airmass which is cold, which is bringing in these wintry showers.”

He said that “icy conditions” were expected, with maximum temperatures of 0C in parts of Scotland, and only 2C to 4C in southern parts of the UK.

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