Snow Hits Christmas Getaway Plans

• News
• Published: 24 Dec 2009 in Travel and Travel Insurance

The Christmas Eve getaway plans of millions of people are expected to be disrupted as Britain is braces itself for more ice, snow and freezing temperatures.

The Met Office has warned of "widespread icy roads" for all of England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Weather experts have also called upon travellers to plan more time for their journey.

It is predicted that commuters in the north of the UK will face the worst travel chaos, following heavy snow falls and freezing temperatures overnight.

The highlands of Scotland recorded temperatures as low as minus 15C, while in Edinburgh  it was minus 11C.

In southern England - where the mercury fell to minus 10C over recent days - the temperature was comparatively warmer.

Officials at the Highways Agency said that they were monitoring conditions, with continuous salt treatment on high-risk routes.

John Hutchinson, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "The coldest areas will be from Cumbria northwards.

"There's a line of snow lying east to west through northern England that's gradually moving north. In central and southern England there are showers about - with some pretty heavy bursts."