Snow Improvement

An inquiry into how the freezing weather crippled Britain's transport network has been ordered by the Government, with he Transport Secretary, demanding answers after motorists were gridlocked on icy roads, hundreds of flights were cancelled and rail passengers were forced to sleep on trains.

As Met Office forecasters predicted the snow and freezing temperatures would last into the weekend, the continuing fallout included:

• Hundreds of flights cancelled at London Gatwick and Edinburgh, while other airports suffered delays. Gatwick will not open until 10am today at the earliest.

• Rail passengers in Kent had to spend the night on trains because the rails were frozen. Staff tried to chip ice off the rails to get the trains to work.

• Hundreds of cars were abandoned at the side of motorways and roads as drivers gave up trying to get home.

• Police in Kent, Surrey, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire warned against all but essential travel.

• The closure of thousands of schools including 1,600 in Scotland, 500 in Yorkshire, 300 in the North East and 350 in Essex.

As they say around these parts, "same, same"just go back over the years for the same excuses.