Transport grinds to a halt amid big freeze

With more snow expected, the Highways Agency asked drivers to consider whether their journeys were really necessary.

A lorry driver died in a collision on the M60 in Greater Manchester, while a driver escaped unhurt after his car was hit by a train after it skidded on to a level crossing in Yorkshire.

Liverpool and Manchester Airports were shut for several hours before reopening, causing many flights to be either cancelled or delayed.

Budget airline easyJet had to axe more than 40 services and there was also delays at Aberdeen, Glasgow, Gatwick, Durham Tees Valley and Newcastle airports.

Many rail services in Scotland were disrupted by the Arctic conditions, while there were delays and cancellations to trains in eastern England.

A section of the A66 in Cumbria was among the roads that had to close, while side roads in Manchester – one of the worst-hit places – were deep in snow.

Bus services had to be suspended in Sheffield and in other parts of South Yorkshire, while a number of roads in the Scottish Highlands were shut.

Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Norman Baker said Britain needed "a transport system that passengers can rely on and works all year round, whatever the weather".

The driver killed was in an accident near Bredbury. The other driver received minor injuries.

The level crossing incident was at Selby when a 44-year-old man from South Duffield, North Yorkshire, managed to get out of his Ford Mondeo car before it was hit by a Hull to Manchester train.

Police said the man, who was treated for shock at the scene, had probably tried to brake as he approached the crossing and skidded on the snow.

The driver of the train had seen the obstruction and had slowed.

Delays and cancellations piled up at Manchester airport where the runway had to be shut due to heavy snow.

Flights began again at around 12.30pm, with passengers being warned by airport officials to expect a "slow departure rate".

Early-morning snow also caused Liverpool airport to close, with a number of flights being cancelled or delayed. The airport was able to reopen just after 10am.

There were also cancellations at Gatwick airport in West Sussex.

Ten London-Leeds train services on the East Coast Main Line had to be cancelled and a combination of heavy snow and signalling problems meant there were delays to services on a number of routes.

The Association of Train Operating Companies said it was liaising with Network Rail and preparing to run "ghost" trains and de-icer trains through the coming night to keep the tracks and overhead cables free of snow and ice.

A series of road accidents added to the problems of drivers, with conditions particularly bad in Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Northumberland and parts of Scotland.

By 10am, RAC had already attended 3,500 breakdowns and was dealing with around 1,400 incidents an hour.

The Highways Agency advised drivers to consider whether their journeys were essential before travelling for the rest of today and overnight into Wednesday.

The agency, which is responsible for England's motorways and major A roads, said it was continuing to treat the roads where freezing temperatures and snow were forecast.

A spokesman for the agency said: "Drivers are advised to take care around spreading vehicles and vehicles clearing snow and only to overtake if they can do so safely, without driving on uncleared snow."

Mr Baker, the Lib Dem MP for Lewes, said: "If other countries can cope with sub-zero temperatures then why is it that the British transport system comes near to collapse at the first sign of a snowflake?

"I have travelled by train from Stockholm to the Arctic Circle and arrived 10 minutes early.

"We need a transport system that passengers can rely on and works all year round, whatever the weather."