http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/dec/08/transport-secretary-scotland-perfect-storm
Transport secretary says sorry after chaos of Scotland's 'perfect storm'
M8 has reopened, and thaw forecasted across much of UK, but snow and freezing continue continue in north
Kirsty Scott and Helen Carter
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 8 December 2010 19.42 GMT
Scotland had faced a "perfect storm" of snow and freezing conditions, the country's transport minister said, as the main motorway, the M8, finally reopened after two days of gridlock across much of the central belt.
Despite forecasts of a thaw across much of the UK before the weekend, the big freeze is continuing to cause chaos – hundreds of motorists spent a second night in their cars on snowbound roads as temperatures north of the border again fell to -20C (4F). And more than 100 vehicles were trapped on an exposed route in North Yorkshire after a sudden heavy snow shower on Tuesday night.
In an emergency statement to the Scottish parliament, the transport secretary, Stewart Stevenson, said he was ultimately responsible for the chaotic situation, and apologised to commuters for the closures and delays on many of the country's key routes. Efforts will be made to ensure that authorities to react more quickly and more robustly to extreme conditions.
"On Monday morning we faced a perfect storm," he said Mr Stevenson. "A highly unusual weather system came in and this hit our transport system exceptionally hard."
Drivers across central Scotland had been forced to abandon their vehicles after the worst winter weather for decades. A 20-mile section of the M8 between Glasgow and Edinburgh reopened only this afternoon, and police were still urging motorists not to travel.
Councillors in Edinburgh have asked the army to clear thick ice and snow from side streets and pavements after days of sub-zero temperatures left many routes treacherous. The city has seen its heaviest snowfall in nearly 50 years over the past 11 days, up to 30in (76cm). Many streets and pavements were too heavily iced over to be cleared by snowploughs or grit. The council hopes soldiers at the city's Redford barracks will be deployed within the next few days.
The army, along with mountain rescue teams in central Scotland, has already sent out 4x4 vehicles to help ambulances and police to ferry the sick to hospital across the central belt.
More snow was expected across north-east Scotland, Northern Ireland, Yorkshire and Humberside, with icy roads expected around the country. Overnight temperatures were expected to drop to -20C in parts of Scotland, and to -15C in Yorkshire and parts of Cumbria. London was just below freezing.
The A171 between Whitby and Scarborough had to be closed temporarily on Tuesday night when snow fell on ice, making driving extremely hazardous. North Yorkshire police said all cars were released overnight using snowploughs. At least nine people have died during the freeze, including an elderly man found dead in snow at a Lincolnshire caravan park.
Insurers say there has been a huge jump in the number of household and motor claims across the UK because of the freezing weather. Axa said it had seen an 85% jump in single-vehicle claims as motorists slid off the road in icy conditions.
Sub-zero conditions are forecast to abate at the end of the week then return. Tomorrow will be much milder, with lows of 2C for most of England. All parts of the UK will stay above zero on Friday, and the south-west and parts of western Scotland will see temperatures peak at 9C.Lindsay Dovey, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "Nowhere will have freezing temperatures on Friday, and just a few places in Scotland will be below zero on Saturday.The wind is changing to a westerly direction, which will bring some much milder weather. But colder temperatures are returning from Sunday and into next week."
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