Snow Forces London Airport to Close

Britain's second busiest airport has closed for the day as the early winter tightens its grip on battered transport systems across the United Kingdom.

Efforts to clear the runways at Gatwick overnight failed in the face of repeated falls of fresh snow and there will now be no flights in or out until at least 6am tomorrow.

Eurostar services, which caused national controversy when they failed in February last year, are also delayed by an hour because of snow in northern France as well as the UK, while scores of other trains have been cancelled. Major disruption is affecting timetables in Scotland and down the east coast of England, as well as commuter services in London – where two trains were stuck for five hours last night after points froze.

Motorways are also in trouble, with the Forth road bridge and Dartford crossing both closed, part of the M3 shut and the A1 northbound at Catterick in North Yorkshire blocked by two jackknifed lorries. There are also major delays on the M1 in Derbyshire and the M25 London Orbital in Kent and Essex. Driving on the trans-Pennine M62 is described as "difficult" on the Yorkshire side.

A spokeswoman for Gatwick said: "We brought in extra people to try to clear the runway. We had a vast army of people. But as fast as they were clearing the snow, the quicker it settled again.

"We have had about 6in of snow and more is forecast, so we have taken the decision to cease flights."

Passengers already at the airport are being looked after, she said, and efforts are being made to help them with transport to return home or find hotels.

The snow is blowing in from Scandanivia, and temperatures are expected to remain frigid.  

David Price, a forecaster at the Met Office said: "It will remain bitterly cold with fresh snowfall across the majority of the country. The only areas really due to escape are the Midlands, the far south-west of England and the west and north-west of Scotland. On Friday we should expect a reprieve from the showers. However, it will remain extremely cold and the snow will be back over the weekend."