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The police have declared a ‘major incident’ as drivers get stuck in treacherous snowy conditions across Cumbria.
Agencies are responding to multiple reports of vehicles stuck in traffic due to heavy snowfall in the South Lakes area, particularly in Bowness and Grizedale, says Cumbria Police.
Police are urging residents to only drive where necessary as an amber snow warning covers large swathes of the region.
Superintendent Andy Wilkinson. Cumbria Constabulary, said: “Agencies across Cumbria are working together in response to the impact that heavy snowfall is continuing to have on the county’s roads.
“We are working at pace, to help clear roads so those currently affected can get moving.“I would urge anybody considering travelling in Cumbria tonight, to only do so if necessary. The cold temperatures forecast will make road conditions even more difficult.”
Fresh yellow and amber weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office as temperatures are forecast to possibly drop to a low of -12C overnight in Scotland, where many awoke to severe frozen conditions this morning.
The warnings, for snow and ice, cover much of the Midlands, Yorkshire, the North West and Wales.
Santa stranded in his grotto due to snowfall
Where is Rudolph when you need him?
David Holdsworth, 61, who works as Santa Claus, is stuck in his grotto at Heyes Garden World, Ambleside, after a failed attempt to get home to Cartmel 22 miles away. The A591 remains blocked with multiple closures.
Mr Holdsworth says he and his colleagues usually get picked up from work by a shared van service, but after an hour of trying to get onto the road to travel home, they accepted defeat.
He said: “Santa’s been stranded. It’s chock-a-block. It’s chaos.
“I’m stuck in my grotto, I’m just laid down trying to keep warm. There’s no heating, I’m going to stay here and see if the roads open.”
Mr Holdsworth says his fellow Santa Claus, Keith, is with 12 other colleagues in the centre’s café.
The 61-year-old who supports Liverpool says he is going to pass the time by watching Newcastle Versus Manchester United.
“I might be a grumpy Santa tomorrow,” he added.
Santa is stranded in his grotto with no viable routes home as roads across Cumbria remain gridlocked
ICYMI - Major incident declared
Cumbria Police has declared a major incident because of heavy snowfall on the county’s roads and said people should only travel where necessary.
The force said a multi-agency response was ongoing on Saturday evening to “minimise the challenges that heavy snowfall is continuing to have on the county’s road network”.
Cumbria Police said the M6 southbound between J38 and J37 was blocked due to jackknifed lorries and that the A595 between Millom and Furness was impassable.
National Highways said it was also dealing with a large number of stranded vehicles on Saturday evening, particularly on the M6 between J38 and J40.
Earlier on Saturday, Cumbria Police said it was aware of multiple reports of vehicles stuck in traffic in the South Lakes area, particularly in the Bowness and Grizedale areas, because of snow.
Superintendent Andy Wilkinson said: “Agencies across Cumbria are working together in response to the impact that heavy snowfall is continuing to have on the county’s roads.
“We are working at pace, to help clear roads so those currently affected can get moving.
“I would urge anybody considering travelling in Cumbria tonight, to only do so if necessary. The cold temperatures forecast will make road conditions even more difficult.”
Jackknifed lorries
Cumbria Police has said the M6 Southbound between J38 and J37 is currently blocked due to jackknifed lorries. In a post on social media, the force said it was reiterating its message to the public that people in Cumbria should only travel where necessary.
It added that the A595 between Millom and Furness was impassable.
National Highways has said it is dealing with a large number of stranded vehicles, particularly on the M6 between J38 and J40.
ICYMI - Children ‘left in tears’ after flight to Lapland cancelled by snow
Adverse weather conditions caused travel chaos across the UK today as flights were grounded by heavy snow and forecasters warned temperatures could plunge to as low as -12C.
Glasgow airport temporarily suspended all flights this morning, with a Lapland-bound flight to see Father Christmas among those cancelled as a result of the weather.
One passenger claimed children were left in tears over the cancellation, while another accused the airport of causing misery. The airport reopened shortly before 10am – though the first departure, an easyJet flight to London Stansted, originally due out at 6.35am, did not leave until 10.30am. The Lapland flight did not take off at all because it would not have arrived in Finland before dark.
Tomorrow’s weather warnings
Areas of rain, sleet, and away from immediate coastal areas, snow, are expected to push north and east across the area later this evening and into the early hours of Sunday.
Whilst not everywhere will see accumulating snow, some places will likely see 1-3 cm, with 5-10 cm possible over some hills and mountains of Wales, the Peak District and South Pennines.
Ice will be an additional hazard, says the Met Office.
Weather warnings are in place across large swathes of the UK
Watch- Cars abandoned and roads bottlenecked as police declare major incident
Cumbria Police urge drivers to stay home
Cumbria Police is advising motorists to travel only if necessary as heavy snowfall is causing challenging road conditions across the county. A yellow warning for snow and ice is currently in place for most of Cumbria and is set to remain so for the rest of today. The Met Office have also issued an amber weather warning for snow covering large sections of south and west Cumbria , which is in place until midnight. If motorists must travel, the advice is:
- Please plan ahead for any journeys today, allowing for extra time.
- Take extra care and, where possible, please use main roads which have been treated.
- Drive slowly and with extra care and attention.
- Please ensure that you have provisions such as water, snacks, blankets, and a charged mobile phone with you.
- Please allow vulnerable road users including cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians more room than usual.
More reports of drivers stuck in Cumbria
The snow has hit the North Western county hard as drivers have taken to X to share their concern about the hazardous wintry conditions.
Julie Coldwell said: It’s awful here now. Lots of cars are potentially going to be trapped overnight between Ambleside/Windermere and Kendal.”
Lauren Machen added: “We’re trapped and have been for the last few hours. No sign of any help.”
Travellers in Cumbria stranded without accomodation
Social media users share their anguish as they report being stranded in the snow.
South Lakes police have opened the Ambleside Parish Centre as an emergency refuge space for those stuck in their vehicles.
Nicola Ashton said: “This has surely got to be an emergency situation now, we’ve been sat on the Ambleside to Windermere road for three hours now, where is any support for those stuck in be vehicles? Nowhere to leave the vehicle safely!”
Laura Duncan added: “We have been grid locked in Ambleside for 3 hours now and haven’t seen a snow plow or gritter. Are there any on their way?”
Alaina McAdam replied: “We are the same. [We] spoke to the police and they said they were on their way. We’ve been stuck for six hours now.”
The Independent have been unable to independently verify these reports.
What roads are impacted by heavy snow in Cumbria?
- A591 Kendal – queuing traffic between the A5284 Windermere Road to Wythburn.
- A591 at Newby Bridge – queuing traffic between Newby Bridge and Windermere
- A591 Lake Road – queueing traffic between Skelwith bridge and Ambleside.
- A595 Kirkby-in-Furness – queuing traffic between Kirkby-in-Furness and Grizebeck.
- A6 Wickersgill - queueing traffic between Wickersgill to Garth Row.
- B5286 Clappersgate – queuing traffic between Clappersgate and Hawkshead
- Harras Road in Whitehaven – queuing traffic between York Terrace and Red Lonning.
- Woodhouse Road in Whitehaven – queuing traffic between the B5345 St Bees Road and Fell View Avenue.
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2023-12-02 23:42:10Z
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