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The Westmorland Gazette
News, sport and entertainment from South lakeland, the Dales and North Lancashire
UPDATE: Police have been called to 97 accidents in six hours (From The Westmorland Gazette)
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UPDATE: Police have been called to 97 accidents in six hours
11:35am Thursday 9th February 2012 in Weather news
Since approximately 5am this morning Police have been called to 97 reported traffic collisions.
No one has been seriously injured but police are continuing to warn people to take extreme care when driving on the County's roads.
The following is a snapshot of the incidents which have occurred across the county: At 04:56 am a lorry jack-knifed near to the Stainmore Cafe, Kirkby Stephen, the driver was not injured and the road was cleared at 06:14 am.
At 06:48 am at Haile, Egremont a Seat Altea driven by a female from Egremont and a Ford Focus driven by a male from Whitehaven were involved in a collision due to the icy conditions, no one was injured.
At 07:05 am on the A684 Kendal, multiple cars skidded off the road.
At 08:05 am on the A66 Eastbound Penrith near to the Newbiggin Junction there have been multiple cars involved in a collision. No one has been seriously injured, but police officers have closed the road at Darce Road and at the start of the duel carriageway at Kirkby Thore while they deal with the incidents. No further details are available at this time.
All of the County's roads has been affected by icy and the police are warning people to take care on every road. If your journey is not essential, then please do not drive. If you do have to travel, please take extreme care when driving, slow down and keep a substantial breaking distance from the car in front.
The A66 from Stainmore remains closed, the M6 between junction 36 and 38 is only passable with care and a 20 MPH speed limit has been issued, the A590 is passable extreme care, but there have been wagon's which have jack-knifed at Lindale Hill, which is blocking traffic.
A school bus travelling to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Kirkby Lonsdale, crashed in Holme village earlier today, but everyone escaped unhurt. Across the North West region, the North West Ambulance Service has responded to 1,145 calls since midnight.
The Met Office have an Amber weather warning in place for ice across much of Cumbria. Throughout the course of today areas of rain and drizzle will edge further south to affect the whole region.
Just about anywhere is at risk of icy conditions, especially in more rural areas.
Local residents are asked to take care when walking on pavements, as these are just as susceptible to freezing. To keep up to date with the latest weather forecasts, visit the Met Office website: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/
life cycle too says...
7:28pm Thu 9 Feb 12
Radio Cumbria's weather forecasters were warning of rain falling on icy roads, and warned of freezing rain.
I went out to my car this morning, intending to defrost it, and the pathway which was clear and dry last night, was covered in 5 - 6 mm of clear ice - it just looked wet - until you tried to stand on it.
The car was the same - a second skin of ice covered the whole vehicle.
After watching a man trying to deliver election leaflets, take 5 minutes to go 20 yards, I decided it was unsafe to travel - and along with our neighbours, elected to keep our children off school, and take time off from work.
As we listened to the radio, we heard that the A590 was closed, the A66, the A591 and so it went on.
Cumbria Police were warning drivers to avoid unnecessary travel.
So why do so many people appear to have been taken by surprise?
What was it that led them to ignore the obvious?
Words should fail me - but after last weeks chaos in the snow, I am no longer surprised!