Major Incident Declared as Snow Strands Thousands on Smart Motorway
Chaos on the M20: National Highways has declared a major incident after thousands of drivers were left trapped since Sunday night at 8pm. Police can’t reach key areas to free stuck gritters because selfish HGV drivers blocked all four lanes on the smart motorway – which lacks a hard shoulder.
Many lorries have either jackknifed or frozen in place as snow turned to ice. Gritting teams have been battling for hours to treat the carriageway amid severe delays.
Winter Woes Hit South East – National Highways Issues Warning
In a statement, National Highways warned of “severe wintery conditions” across the East and South East due to heavy snowfall causing multiple incidents. Long delays are reported at key spots.
Hotspots: Roads Worst Hit by Snow and Ice
- M2 in Kent between Junctions 1 and 3 – both directions
- M20 in Kent between Junctions 5 and 9 – both directions (traffic moving but conditions tough)
- M25 in Essex between Junctions 26 and 28 – both directions
- M11 in Essex between Junctions 4 and 7A northbound
- Other affected routes: A21, A27, A249
Experts warn hazardous driving conditions will persist until Monday morning, 12th December. Drivers are urged to avoid these routes if possible.
