Motorists in the West Midlands have been issued a significant warning as snow is predicted to blanket the county. National Highways, the government-owned company responsible for operating and maintaining motorways and major A roads, has released an amber severe weather alert for seven regions across the country, along with a list of roads to steer clear of.
This alert is distinct from the Met Office Amber alert, which is activated by different criteria and isn’t specific to the strategic road network. The affected regions include: North East, North West, East, East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West.
The warning will be in effect from 3pm on January 4 until midnight on January 5. In collaboration with the Met Office, National Highways strongly advises that travel in these areas could be prolonged or even disrupted.
Read more: Met Office forecast says Coventry to be blasted by ‘treacherous’ heavy snow and ice
Those who must travel are urged to heed messages on overhead signs on motorways and tune into local radio stations for travel updates. A list of roads to avoid, if possible, has also been published for each area, along with the expected snowfall there.
Motorists are cautioned to exercise extra care and avoid these roads if possible during the severe weather alert, with up to 25cm of snow potentially falling on some roads. The regions are: North East, North West, East, East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, reports Birmingham Live.
A National Highways spokesperson has warned: “A spell of disruptive snow is going to spread north-eastwards across southern and central parts of the network on Saturday evening. It seems though that the snow will only settle above 150m elevation or so, leading to negligible (<1cm) accumulations at low levels but 2-5cm on any modest hills and perhaps up to 10cm in some spot locations.”
“The snow will last several (6-7) hours but will eventually turn back to rain, initiating a thaw.”
“With mild air becoming widely established in southern and central parts through the course of Sunday, a rapid thawing will take place. In the north however, the snow will arrive later but will tend to stall and decay in-situ through the reminder of Sunday, leading to greater accumulations. Again, the snow will only settle on roads above 100m elevation and will tend to become confined to higher ground over time but the trans-Pennine routes will be hit badly, with as much as 10-20cm, perhaps 25cm, over the highest parts of the network (A66 Old Spittal, M62 Windy Hill, A628 Woodhead Pass).”
West Midlands
- Roads between 150-250m elevation – 2-5 cm
- M5 J2-J4 – 5-10 cm
- A49 Church Stretton – 2-5 cm
- Roads between 50-150m elevation- 0-2 cm
- A50 near Longton – 2-5 cm
South East
- M2 J3-J4 – 2-5 cm
- M20 J2 – 2-5 cm
- M25 J 8 – 2-5 cm
- A31 Four Marks – 2-5 cm
- M4 J14-J15 – 2-5 cm perhaps up to 8 cm im places
South West
- A417 – 2-5 cm perhaps 8 cm in places
- M4 J14-J15 – 2-5 cm perhaps up to 8 cm in places
- A303 – 2-5 cm perhaps up to 8 cm in places
East
- M40 J4-J6 – 1-3 cm
- M1 J8-J11 – 1-3 cm
East Midlands
- Roads above 150m elevation – 2-5 cm
- Roads between 50-150m elevation – 0-2 cm
North East
- A66 Old Spittal – 10-20cm, perhaps as much as 25cm
- M62 Windy Hill – 10-15cm, perhaps as much as 20cm
- A628 WoodHead Pass – 10-20cm, perhaps as much as 25cm
- Roads between 150-250m elevation – 2-5cm
- Roads between 50-150m elevation – 0-2cm
North West
- A66 Old Spittal – 10-20cm, perhaps as much as 25cm
- M62 Windy Hill – 10-15cm, perhaps as much as 20cm
- A628 WoodHead Pass – 10-20cm, perhaps as much as 25cm
- Roads between 150-250m elevation – 2-5cm
- Roads between 50-150m elevation – 0-2cm
Further details are available online at http://www.trafficengland.com/ or by phoning the National Highways Information Line on 0300 123 5000.