Cold Fury: Parents demand to know why schools are STILL shut as millions of workers take another Snow Day

 

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 7:33 PM on 03rd February 2009

 

 

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Anger was growing today that thousands of schools were still closed and offices out of action despite there being little fresh snow on top of yesterday's deluge.

Roads in the south of Britain were still treacherous, airports in chaos and many trains either cancelled or seriously delayed even though the weather had cleared.

Millions of workers stayed at home again because of the transport problems and dangerous conditions, which were made worse by freezing temperatures overnight.

Many others who could have travelled to work were annoyed they were not able to because their children's schools were still shut.

 

The increasing criticism came as the Met Office issued yet another severe weather warning, predicting up to another 25cm (10inches) of snow could fall on Thursday.

 

 

Shut: Thousands of schools, including this one in Birmingham, were closed again today prompting anger as parents had to stay home

 

 

With disruption throughout the week now looking likely, Government officials said thousands of schools were closed across the country today, including:

 

• Virtually all schools in London;
  
• 800 in Yorkshire and the Humber;
  
• 2,000 across the West and East Midlands;
  
• 1,500 in the south east and around 1,000 in the east;
  
• Another 400 in Essex, 500 in the south west
  
• 100 across the north west and north east.
  
  

In Bradford and Birmingham, councils took the unusual step of making a blanket decision to keep them shut - a decision usually made by individual head teachers.

 

Furious parents branded the move 'ridiculous' and claimed it set a bad example.

Lisa Gilbert who had to take the day off to look after her son, said: 'If parents decided to keep their children off school for no reason they are reprimanded.

 

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Blocked: The A66 in County Durham was still closed today after snow drifted up to 8ft overnight. Below, a man walking through Epping Forest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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'Why is it OK just because the council decide they can't cope with a bit of snow? It is one-sided and it does set a bad example to children, you can't have that sort of attitude when you are at work.

 

Margaret Morrissey, from the Parents Outloud group, warned it could make children believe that 'when things get difficult you should just stay at home and have fun'.

 

More...

 

 

• Travellers' 60-hour wait as snow delays continue at airports
  
• Pupils enjoy a second day off as thousands of schools remain closed
  
• Caught on video: Britain's biggest runaway snowball and the fool who tried to ride it
  
• Mystery as top judge is found dead in freezing stream
  
• HARRY PHIBBS: We've been giving in to trade union bully boys for years - no wonder we don't stand up to them when it snows
  
• Gallery: Send us your pictures of today's snowy scenes
  

 

Schools Secretary Ed Balls denied they had closed because of health and safety laws and blamed staff shortages and the transport problems instead.

Authorities said they had been gritting and out with snow ploughs through the night to clear the roads and buses and the underground were running again in London today.

 

Chilling out: A snowman sports a colourful bikini in Sevenoaks

 

 

The capital's transport boss Peter Hendy claimed the system had done 'reasonably well' given the huge snowfall yesterday, which was the biggest in Britain for 18 years.

 

Countering criticism that not even the Blitz had not brought the buses to a halt, he said: 'The Blitz didn't cover every road in London, every suburban street in London.'

But according to one estimate, up to two million people in the capital alone had another day off after around one in five across the UK failed to make it in yesterday.

Business leaders were furious that the network has been allowed to come to standstill at such a critical time for the economy.

They claim the 'Snow Day' yesterday cost the economy ?1.2billion, and that Britain could lose ?3billion by the end of the week if the cold snap continues.

 

Enlarge Riding out: Racehorses on the gallops at Middleham in North Yorkshire and below, commuters waiting for a train in Hampstead this morning

 

 

 

 

 

Long, cold wait: Commuters on the platform at West Hampstead in London today on a second day of disruption on the roads and train network

 

 

Director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, David Frost, accused the authorities of complacency and said the snow should have been handled better.

 

'Was it exceptional? For those of us who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, this was a regular occurrence,' he said today.

 

'We should be perhaps planning on the basis that there is more freak weather about and we shouldn't just buckle to it. There should be more planning going into it.'

 

Stephen Alambritis, from the Federation of Small Businesses, added: 'One of the world's biggest economies should not be grinding to a halt, even if it is only once every 10 years.'

Britain's inability to deal with extreme weather is likely to be ridiculed across the world.

UK news reports of public anger at the chaos caused by the heavy snow were being carried today on the influential American website, the Drudge Report.

 

 

Enlarge Snow place like home: Isabella Mills, four, inside an igloo in south London and below, Clapham Station still covered in snow

 

 

 

 

Conditions in the south eased last night after the snow moved further north, covering much of the Pennines and the Scottish Borders.

But the roads were even worse in some places after freezing temperatures as low as 10C (14F) turned the thick snow into dangerous black ice.

Snow ploughs were on standby in the Pennines, Yorkshire and Northumberland and drivers were warned to take extra care if they did venture out.

 

Most roads were passable, albeit icy, but the A66 in Country Durham was still closed after drifts reached 8ft overnight.

 

Meanwhile, police in Wales warned roads there were treacherous after a man died in a car crash last night and a lorry came off a road at a roundabout this morning.

 

 

Back in action: London's buses and underground systems were working again today but commuters at Waterloo, below, struggled with icy conditions

 

 

 

 

 

Amid claims councils were under-prepared for the snow, there are now fears they could run out of salt if the cold snap continues.

Local authorities only keep enough to grit rounds for a few days a year and it is claimed some have already used up much of their stock in the past 24 hours.

John Ransford, LGA chief executive, admitted it would be 'difficult' if Monday's conditions lasted for weeks.

 

'We are in the middle of a very harsh winter. We cannot change nature and if nature does this to us, it is a big problem,' he told the BBC.

But he added: 'We will use our resources as effectively as we can and make sure as far as possible we keep people safe and moving.'

 

Big freeze: This car toppled over on the Caerphilly Mountain Road in Wales. Below, a bus skidded off the road in Sheffield

 

 

 

 

 

In London, almost all bus routes were running this morning and seven of 11 underground lines operating as normal.

 

Transport for London said its staff had been working all night to get as many services running as possible.

But there was still woe for anyone travelling by train, with major routes across the UK warning of delays and cancellations and many services in the south cancelled.

 

All Southeastern and Southern trains were still suspended and passengers on all routes were warned to check with operators before travelling.

Network Rail, which owns and runs Britain's rail infrastructure, admitted there would be delays but promised there would be 'a much better service' than yesterday.

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Time out: Bankers have a snowball fight in Berkeley Square, London while below a bride throws her bouquet in Parliament Square

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Airports across the country were also struggling to return to normal after a chaotic day with thousands of flights cancelled yesterday.

 

In London, only Stansted was fully functioning while Heathrow and Gatwick both warned of significant delays and more cancellations.

A British Airways spokesman said: 'We have aircraft in different places because there were planes due into Heathrow that were diverted.'

Southampton Airport was closed until 8am but passengers were told to check-in as normal. Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen airports were all open but also warned of delays and cancellations.

 

Winter wonderland: An aerial picture shows the snow over Kent and Sussex

 

 

 

Stepping out: London Mayor Boris Johnson wraps up for his morning run while Justice Secretary jack Straw opted for boots and fluffy hat on a visit to Number 10

 

Severe weather warnings were still in place in Hampshire, West Sussex, southern Wales and eastern Scotland today as forecasts said more snow was on the way.

Scotland, Wales and northern England were bearing the brunt of the wintry weather today and by tonight it is thought most of the snow will have disappeared.

Scotland is the only region due to have fresh falls tomorrow, although by the evening

a fresh band will start to move in across central England.

MeteoGroup UK forecaster Paul Knightley said: 'Indications are that the heaviest snow is likely to be across the south Midlands and northern Home Counties, with the possibility of over 20cm of fresh snowfall in places.'

bah we get 10 inches once or twice ayear quit ur complaining

 

I agree. It's a national disgrace.:dozey:

Quit being proud of your crappy weather, winigwl. :P

 

I feel like such a grinch during snowy weather because I hate it, but everybody else seems to either enjoy it or tolerate it. Bring on the global warming!

aha, the britain stole our snow...lol

Ah yeah pretty bad!!! But i do like snow......

Snow just is - like it or hate it, we've got to get used to it. Here, if you don't like it, it's a long unhappy winter for sure! (30 inches total accumulation thus far; but 10 inches all at once is quite a bit..)

All they needed were some chains for those tires!! And what's wrong with a day off now and then from school - I'm sure the kids were happy!!

Anyhow, looks like some folks made the best of it.:)

 

bah we get 10 inches once or twice ayear quit ur complaining

 

But Canada is used to it and has developed measures to ensure that it doesn't come to a standstill.

Snow just is - like it or hate it, we've got to get used to it. Here, if you don't like it, it's a long unhappy winter for sure! (30 inches total accumulation thus far; but 10 inches all at once is quite a bit..)

All they needed were some chains for those tires!! And what's wrong with a day off now and then from school - I'm sure the kids were happy!!

Anyhow, looks like some folks made the best of it.:)

 

 

Apart from Wednesday night when I spent the night at work due to not being able to free my car from it's snowy prison of the car-park.

 

I love having traction control and quite a lot of torque low down in my car's rev range.