Big freeze sparks travel chaos

Jan 6 2009

Britain's big freeze caused chaos as thousands of motorists were left stranded in the busiest day of breakdowns in five years.

As parts of the UK plunged to as low as minus 11C (12.2F), record numbers called for emergency help during the rush hour with many schools failing to reopen after the Christmas break.

The AA and RAC said the situation was worse than it had been since 2004, with more than 40,000 call-outs over the past 36 hours.

Thermometers fell to minus 11C in Aboyne in north-east Scotland and Shap in Cumbria in the early hours of Tuesday.

MeteoGroup UK, the weather division of the Press Association, said temperatures had also fallen as low as minus 10C (14F) in Farnborough, Hampshire, and in Capel Curig, North Wales, overnight.

The greatest surge of breakdowns were recorded in the Bristol, Bournemouth, London and Birmingham areas.

A spokesman for the AA said: "We were getting 2,800 call-outs for assistance every hour. People must be prepared. We cannot highlight enough how important it is for travellers to take extra layers with them. Many more schools reopened today and it has had a significant impact as parents try to get their cars started."

An RAC spokeswoman added: "It's been our busiest day in five years."

Among the victims of perilous driving conditions was a woman cyclist who sustained serious injuries when she was run over by a Land Rover which skidded on ice in Clevedon, Somerset.

The Met Office issued a severe weather warning for London and east and south-east England as gritters were deployed across the country.