UK transport network affected as heavy snowfall hits country

MeT office issues amber warning

Travel Insurance News - 21/12/2009

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Travellers had encountered difficulties with their trips last week due to heavy snowfalls in several parts of the UK, particularly in the worst affected parts of eastern and south-eastern England.

The Met Office had issued amber warnings from Thursday through Friday for south-eastern England and London, as two to four inches of snow covered the lowlands, while eight inches over the UK hills.

Last week, the gusts in London reached 31mph and 44mph along the east coast. Moreover, the maximum daytime temperature was 4C, which eventually dropped to below freezing overnight.

The Automobile Association informed that travel turmoil, same as the level experienced when a gale struck the country last winter, was repeated last week because only half of UK councils had sufficient road salt to de-ice grounds. Earlier in 2 February, transport networks in the UK were almost closed when a storm hit the country, keeping approximately 20 per cent of the workers from their jobs at a cost of £1.2 billion. Authorities were criticized for insufficient preparation during last winter’s disaster.

The Highways Agency had meanwhile deployed over 500 maintenance vehicles to help manage road networks. The agency had also advised travellers to inspect their vehicles before setting out, to bring emergency kits and to monitor weather forecasts.

In other related news, the UK energy costs increased as utilities started costlier energy plants, including coal-fuelled power stations, in response to huge demand during the festive season. Last week, the base load power rose 30p or 0.8 per cent, to £36 a megawatt-hour.

<< Plot thickens on Northwest airline overshooting saga | Travel News | Motorists hit the road to beat the Christmas rush >>