Heavy snowfall in northern England forced motorists to seek shelter or spend the night in their cars and cut electricity to more than 2,500 customers, authorities said on Sunday.
According to the Associated Press (AP), trucks were damaged by the snow, blocking highways, and drivers reported taking hours to make short trips, while others were forced to find a place to stay overnight along their routes or in their vehicles.
“Right now it feels like we’re crossing the Alps or a ski resort,” said Harrison Ward in the Lake District community of Ambleside, quoted by AP. “As soon as a few cars stop, crash or get abandoned, everything stops.”
Very slow traffic between Ambleside and Windermere…triple travel time anyway due to the many abandoned cars from yesterday’s snow bomb! #cumbria #windermere #ambleside pic.twitter.com/qjCSfv0a2K
– Frances Smurthwaite (@franceskelly99) December 3, 2023
Ant Brett said he was stuck in the car for 7 hours on Saturday afternoon as he drove from Essex to Cumbria, a journey that should have taken just over 5 hours.
“I went to a family wedding, it’s fair to say I didn’t make it,” he told the BBC. ‘I’m running low on water and have to ration it. I know the emergency services are busy, but we are here without help.’
Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service said they worked through the night to free drivers from cars stuck in deep snow.
Cumbria Police Commissioner Andy Wilkinson said the storm was bigger than predicted and people were urged not to travel to the county on Sunday.
“We understand people’s frustration at this time,” Wilkinson said of incidents of verbal abuse against road workers.
“However, agencies are working hard to improve the situation in Cumbria, including tackling difficult road conditions.”
It was 6 inches deep in places when we managed to escape Ambleside at lunchtime. The problem was compacted snow turning into an ice rink on the roads towards Windermere etc. Before that we had only just returned to Preston on the M6 also closed. pic.twitter.com/1H32hHYDVi
-Andy Pandy (@roguetrooperr) December 3, 2023
Schools, churches and a scout shelter were used to provide emergency protection for stranded travelers.
More than 2,500 people were left without electricity in Cumbria, according to Electricity North West. Electricity supply is expected to be restored by late tonight.
The Met Office, Britain’s weather agency, has issued a weather warning for ice in parts of the Midlands, northern England, much of north and mid Wales and eastern Scotland from Sunday evening to Monday afternoon.
Source: DN
