Roads busy as Christmas getaway freeze continues

Icy conditions are predicted for drivers taking to the roads for their Christmas journeys

Motorists have been warned to take care as the freezing weather and congested roads combine to create "treacherous" conditions.

Thursday is predicted to be one of the busiest days of the year for traffic.

Sub-zero temperatures are predicted and up to 10cm (4ins) of snow is expected in Northumberland and eastern Scotland.

AA president Edmund King said drivers must remember to top up anti-freeze, put de-icer in their windscreen washers and drive on a full tank of petrol.

The Highways Agency has suspended 64 miles of roadworks between Christmas Eve and 4 January 2011.

But Mr King said the roads would be very busy with Christmas shoppers as well as those travelling to visit relatives.

He said: "Conditions are not great because of the sub-zero temperatures so try not to brake too harshly and where possible stick to motorways and trunk roads.

"We did a survey which suggested most people are planning to stay at home all day on Christmas Day, so early on the 25th might be the best day to travel."

Some estimates suggest Thursday will be the busiest day of the year for shopping centres.

Runways re-open

The Met Office predicts another cold day across the UK on Thursday, feeling particularly bitter across southern parts and with further snow showers likely in northern and eastern areas.

Snow has been lying for four weeks in parts of Scotland and north of England, causing delivery problems in those areas in particular.

On the nation's roads, 142 sets of roadworks are due to be completed by the Highways Agency ahead of the Christmas and New Year holiday traffic.

A further 34 sets of roadworks and lane restrictions are due to be removed by 0600 GMT on Friday and will not be put back before 0001 GMT on Tuesday 4 January.

Roads minister, Mike Penning, said: "Completing or lifting roadworks on the motorways and other major roads managed by the Highways Agency will help everyone planning to drive over the festive season.

"More than 98% of the strategic road network will be clear of roadworks, so more lanes will be open and many speed restrictions lifted."

Darron Burness, head of AA special operations, said Thursday would see an expected peak on the roads with traffic "building from lunchtime with an extended evening rush-hour".

Some councils are concerned over supplies of road grit. With just 12,000 tonnes left in reserve across Wales, councils want Welsh ministers to ask the UK government to release some of the quantity stockpiled for English authorities.

Nottinghamshire, Wiltshire and Somerset councils have also asked for extra supplies.

Meanwhile, NHS Warwickshire is appealing for drivers of 4x4 vehicles to spare a few hours over the next week-and-a-half to drive nurses to patients in snow-hit areas.

On the railways, Eurostar is operating almost normally but most national rail routes report problems, including the East Coast, ScotRail, Northern Rail and West Coast lines.

Industrial action scheduled for Thursday on London Midland trains has been cancelled.

Heathrow Airport's boss, Colin Matthews, is to forgo a bonus after the airport was criticised over the length of time it took to clear tonnes of snow following a blizzard on Saturday that dumped 5in (13cm) in just one hour.

Troop return

After days of severe disruption, both runways at Heathrow are now open and two-thirds of flights are operating. But travellers were warned not to expect services to return to normal straight away, and to travel to the airport only if their departure was confirmed.

Having previously cancelled more than 2,000 flights, British Airways said it hoped it would operate a full long-haul departure schedule from Heathrow on Thursday and Christmas Eve.

The airline will also operate a normal schedule at Gatwick and London City airports.

Heavy snow at the RAF's UK base, Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, means not as many troops as usual have been able to leave Afghanistan to return home for Christmas.

The BBC's Quentin Sommerville said some have been delayed for days either in Helmand, or in the Middle East.

The RAF says it is working with commercial airlines to clear the backlog and is confident that those with scheduled leave will return in time to spend Christmas with their families.

By: BBC News