National Highways bosses have declared a major incident after thousands of drivers were left stranded since 8pm on Sunday night due to severe snow and ice. Police have been unable to reach key areas to free stuck gritters because selfish HGV drivers have blocked all four lanes of the smart motorway, which has no hard shoulder.
Many lorries have either jackknifed or become stuck as snow turned to ice, halting vital gritting operations for hours and worsening conditions on the roads.
National Highways issued a stark warning that severe wintry weather is battering the East and South East of England this evening, with heavy snowfall triggering multiple incidents and gridlock. The harsh conditions are causing lengthy delays across key routes.
The roads worst hit by snow and ice include:
- M2 in Kent between Junctions 1 and 3 – both directions
- M20 in Kent between Junctions 5 and 9 – both directions (traffic is running, but driving remains tricky)
- M25 in Essex between Junctions 26 and 28 – both directions
- M11 in Essex between Junctions 4 and 7A northbound
Other affected routes include the A21, A27, and A249.
Motorists are warned to expect hazardous conditions until Monday morning, 12th December. Drivers are advised to exercise extreme caution or avoid travelling if possible.
Originally published by UKNIP.
