Category: news

Newcastle has been badly affected by heavy snow

More than 450 schools are closed and several flights have been cancelled in north of England after more heavy snowfall.

Up to 6ins (15cm) of snow fell in the north-east, causing Durham Tees Valley Airport and Newcastle Airport to close.

Ice is also causing problems on roads in East and West Yorkshire where conditions are described as “hazardous”

The Local Government Association said councils had increased salt stockpiles as the Met Office warned of more snow.

Some schools are closed in Tyne and Wear, Northumberland, County Durham, Cumbria, East Yorkshire and Shropshire.

Newcastle Airport was closed for a time and three flights were cancelled, while Durham Tees Valley Airport remains shut.

Motorists travelling on the M62 between junction 34 and junction 38 in West Yorkshire have been urged to take care, while one of the main routes into the centre of Sheffield, the Parkway, was said to be “treacherous”.

The Lund bypass in East Yorkshire was closed after a car hit a telegraph pole. The B1249 near Driffield was also closed.

In the South West, one lane of the eastbound M4 at the Severn Crossing was closed as a precaution after ice started to form on the bridge.

A Highways Agency spokesman said the road had since been reopened but added that drivers needed to take care.

David Sparks, from the Local Government Association, said councils were better prepared to cope with the winter weather.

“Local authorities this year have made unprecedented preparations for the winter.

“We’ve got well over a third more salt and grit in our stocks than we had last year and over a half of local authorities have invested in new gritting lorries.”

The UK has been experiencing the earliest widespread snowfall since 1993.

BBC broadcast meteorologist Philip Avery warned plummeting temperatures overnight on Monday were likely to lead to icy roads in many places, while the strengthening winds will make it feel even colder.

Warnings of heavy snow are also in place along the entire east coast of England, as well as in Cornwall, with more expected throughout the day and on Tuesday.

The Greater London area and Kent are at risk of snowfall from Tuesday, with the Met Office warning drifting snow could cause disruption to road and rail networks towards the end of the week.

Motoring organisations the AA and the RAC warned commuters to continue to take great care, even on major roads that have been gritted.

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This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Ian Tomlinson died despite receiving medical attention at the scene of the clashes

A police officer filmed pushing a man to the ground during the G20 protests is to face a police misconduct hearing.

Ian Tomlinson, 47, died after being caught up in the clashes on 1 April 2009 in the City of London.

In July the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to press criminal charges against Pc Simon Harwood.

He will face a charge of gross misconduct at a disciplinary hearing, which could be held in the next 30 days and could be conducted in public.

The constable, from the Metropolitan Police territorial support group, faces dismissal without notice if the allegations are proven.

Pc Harwood is accused of hitting the newspaper seller with his baton and pushing him to the ground in actions that “inadvertently caused or contributed” to his death.

He will also be accused of using force that “was not necessary, proportionate or reasonable in the circumstances”.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is consulting with the Tomlinson family, the officer and 105 potential witnesses on whether to hold the misconduct hearing in public.

Deborah Glass, the IPCC deputy chair and commissioner for London, said: “From the moment the video was published to the world in April 2009, there has been an overwhelming public feeling that the officer seen to strike Ian Tomlinson should be held accountable for his actions.”

Mr Tomlinson, a newspaper seller who was not involved in the protests, was walking home when he was caught up in the demonstration.

The video footage showed him being apparently struck by a baton and then pushed to the ground.

He was seen moving away after the incident but was found collapsed 100m away in Cornhill.

The CPS decided not to press ahead with criminal charges as there was “sharp disagreement between the medical experts” about the cause of death, which led to three post-mortem examinations being conducted on Mr Tomlinson.

No date has been set for the hearing, which will be presided over by two senior Metropolitan Police officers and an independent member of the public selected from a list appointed by the Metropolitan Police Authority.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The heavy snow has caused problems for motorists across Scotland

Snow is continuing to fall in parts of Scotland causing problems for commuters and hundreds of schools to be shut.

Temperatures are expected to stay around freezing and forecasters predicted up to 15cm (6in) of snow could fall.

Police advised drivers not to travel unless absolutely necessary.

White-out conditions have affected several main roads, including the A9 which is closed between Perth and Dunblane.

The A9, one of the busiest roads in Scotland, remains open north of Perth.

Edinburgh airport is closed and there is major disruption on the rail, with the Glasgow-Edinburgh service reduced to twice an hour.

There are long tailbacks on various roads due to motorists getting stuck and jack-knifed lorries.

The A90 is closed southbound between Forfar and Dundee. Traffic is being diverted via the A92.

And the M90 is closed south of Perth and at Friarton Bridge.

Heavy snow caused traffic disruption

At a glance: School closures in Scotland

There is major congestion on the A80/M80 with traffic getting stuck in the snow.

HGVs in particular are having trouble, which is causing severe delays.

The M876 is also affected up to junction 1 due to the congestion.

In West Lothian, the M8 is closed westbound at junction 3 Livingston.

There are HGVs stuck in the snow, and the M8 is down to one lane in places between West Lothian and Glasgow.

The M8 is down to one lane in places on approach to Glasgow city centre.

There is also very slow traffic on the M77 heading towards Glasgow. The road is queuing from junction 5 Maidenhill.

The Edinburgh City Bypass is covered in thick snow and traffic is crawling.

In the Borders, the A1 is closed in both directions at Berwick Upon Tweed and the A68 is closed at Soutra.

There is major disruption on most train services.

Trains from Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh at 15 and 45 minutes past each hour will not run.

Going the other way, trains from Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street at 00 and 30 minutes past each hour will not run.

Trains between Perth and Aberdeen are also disrupted.

Trains on other routes are subject to delays or cancellation.

Edinburgh Airport is closed and Aberdeen is expecting disruption.

The Met office issued a severe weather warning for areas across Scotland with snowfalls of five to 15cm forecast.

A number of school areas were taking a St Andrew’s Day holiday but many other were forced to close.

As at 0700 GMT, all schools had been closed in West Lothian, East Lothian, Shetland Islands, Scottish Borders, Midlothian and Fife.

The total number of closed school in the Aberdeenshire area stood at 110.

Parents are advised to listen out for updates on their local radio stations and to look at their local council websites.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.