Schools closed as snow returns
Thousands of school pupils across the West Midlands and Staffordshire were again told to stay at home today after the worst snowfall for 18 years returned, bringing chaos to the region.
After a short-lived return to classrooms yesterday, pupils at more than 200 schools were having another day off as up to eight inches of snow fell in some parts of the region. Drivers faced chaos as airports had to shut runways to clear the snow. Grit was starting to run out nationally.
Wolverhampton council chiefs said there was enough for 10 days of gritting in the city. Councillor Barry Findlay, deputy leader and cabinet member for the environment, said there was about 750 tons of grit left, with 500 extra tons being delivered soon.
Gritters worked around the clock to keep main routes open. Walsall Council said it would have enough salt to last over the weekend.
In Dudley major routes were treated with about 55 tons of salt yesterday and and estate grit bins have been refilled.
Roads around Birmingham were chaotic during rush hour today with many main not gritted – prompting fears the council was close to running out.
Drivers spent more than 30 minutes trying to get down Pleck Road, Walsall, from the M6's Junction 9.
Among the worst hit was the M6 southbound between Junction 6 for Spaghetti Junction up to Junction 7 for Great Barr.
Traffic was reported to be tailing back for about a mile and traffic was also crawling on the M6 southbound between Junction 10, Wolverhampton and Junction 8 for the M5 link in West Bromwich.
Motorways were open although some were down to two lanes and highways bosses warned many slip roads had not been gritted and were dangerous.
Schools today said they had closed their doors again following "health and safety" advice from council bosses.
