Avon and Somerset police have urged motorists not to drive in the hazardous conditions.

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   The struggle to work

9.30PM: Car drivers unable to reach the top of Ambra Vale in Clifton due to sheet ice on the road.

9PM: First announces all evening and Night Flyer bus services are suspended

7.20PM: Redcatch Road in Knowle closed due to ice at the junction with St John's Lane

 

6.45PM: 50mph limits on M5 at Burnham-on-Sea and Severn Bridge, where all lanes are now open

4.15PM: Traffic now moving on Severn Bridge, where one lane remains closed. Second Severn Crossing remains closed.

4PM: Bristol International Airport re-opened its runway and limited scheduled flights are operating. But all flights by airline easyJet are cancelled

2PM: First announces limited bus service is operating to destinations including Bedminster, Cribbs Causeway, Avonmouth, Cadbury Heath, Bath, Keynsham and Bristol International Airport 

12.45PM: Household waste collections were abandoned in South Gloucestershire for the day but crews will be working tomorrow to clear the backlog

12.40PM: The Bristol Classic Car Show, the longest-running show of its type in the UK, is the latest victim of the snow crisis. The popular two-day event was due to be held this weekend at the Royal Bath and West Show Ground at Shepton Mallet

12.30PM: Flights from Bristol International Airport suspended until 4pm.

NOON: Stages event at Colston Hall involving hundreds of children cancelled tonight and tomorrow. Employment tribunals cancelled. One man had travelled for two hours to be there for his hearing.

11.55AM: Roads to Blagdon were finally cleared after the village was cut off for several hours

11.45AM: Traders in The Galleries reported massive falls in takings due to the bad weather. Some stores said takings were down as much as 80 per cent and others had not even opened

11.35AM: St Michael's Hill in Bristol closed

11.40AM: South Gloucestershire Council reported that its street care department had been working throughout the night gritting around 300 miles of roads including at least one route into every village

11.30AM: Ambulance crews had to transport women in labour to hospital after they became stranded in their homes. New mums were helped in Easton, Midsomer Norton in BANES and one was also transferred from Paulton Maternity unit to the Royal United Hospital in Bath

11.20AM: Bristol Rovers' match against Huddersfield tomorrow has been called off.

10.55AM: Staff at Bristol International Airport have been pushing cars and shovelling snow to help stranded motorists

10.40AM: North Somerset Council said that the A38 was "passable with care" with "extreme caution" needed between Sidcot and Bristol

10.35AM: Independent bus operator Abus said it had managed to run services despite the atrocious conditions

10.30AM: Trains on the Severn Beach line have been cancelled for the second day running.

10.00AM: Both Severn crossings were closed after reports large chunks of ice falling from the gantries.

9.50AM: Police urge motorists living in the Greater Bristol area not to make non-essential trips.

9.40AM: Phone lines for the city centre hospitals are being jammed with patients calling to cancel operations.

9.35AM: Bristol City Council said that A4 at West Town Lane was "particularly difficult" and the Wells Road (A37) at Happy Landing Hill was practically impassable . . . A38 through North Somerset is passable as is Valley Road in Portishead . . . A371 through Banwell and Winscombe passable with care but the main road to Blagdon is likely to be closed . . . Clarken Combe, Brockley Combe and Naish Hill just south of Portishead are all closed.

9.31AM: South Gloucester Council confirm all its schools are closed.

9.30AM: Bristol Crown Court was open but no cases or on-going trials were planned to be heard due to bad weather causing travel disruption to judges, jurors and court staff.

9.26AM: South Gloucestershire Council confirmed that all its schools are closed today. Most head teachers took the decision early this morning to shut in the interests of pupil and staff safety.

9.15AM: First said it was withdrawing all bus services in Bristol for the second day in a row. The company claimed that roads across the city were too dangerous for private car use, let alone for public transport.

9.10AM: Bristol International Airport has now suspended all flights until 12.30pm due to heavy snow . . . Police reported "lots of abandoned vehicles" on the A37 Wells Road . . .

9.00AM: Police reported "lots of abandoned vehicles" on the A37 Wells Road, at Totterdown.

7.30AM: A 30mph speed limit was introduced on the motorway network throughout the Avon and Somerset force area.

The A37 Wells Road continued to cause problems for drivers after a car and lorry collided in Totterdown, blocking the road.

Wayne Baker, a police spokesman, said: "The best advice we can give drivers at the moment is to not go out at all, unless it's an emergency.

"Driving conditions on all roads are extremely hazardous."There have been reports of several incidents on the M5 motorway in Somerset - drivers have been urged to avoid the area.

Drivers have been hit by hazardous conditions on A37 Wells Road southbound near the junction with the B3119 West Town Lane/Hengrove Lane.

Bristol Magistrates Court planned to be open as usual.

Taxi firms found their phone lines jammed with calls this morning as commuters tried to get a lift to work. Taxi drivers were struggling to pick people up, and had to ask passengers to meet them on main roads rather than drive down the treacherous side roads.

Some taxi drivers decided to give up because of the terrible weather and traffic.

Police urged motorists living in the Greater Bristol area not to make non-essential trips.

Anyone who has to go out should keep to the main roads and try to avoid minor side roads, many of which are blocked with snow.

Anyone who has to go out, should allow plenty of time for their journey and be aware that their stopping distance can be 10 times that of normal road conditions, police said.

Darren Bane, a Avon and Somerset police spokesman, said: "Drivers should take steps to ensure their windscreens are clear of snow and ice and also clear the roof of their car, because snow can easily slip from the roof and obscure the windscreen."

He added: "They should do everything they can to ensure they keep to main roads, which are likely to be easier to navigate.

"Drivers are also advised to carry de-icer, food, a hot flask, a blanket, appropriate footwear and clothing.

But, the key message is to please consider whether your journey this morning is absolutely necessary."

Heavy snowfall overnight across North Somerset has meant salting has been largely ineffective.

The snowplough has been out working throughout the night to keep as many of the roads open as possible but the snow conditions are worsening.

Clerken Combe, Brockley Combe and Naish Hill just south of Portishead are all closed.

North Somerset Council says the A38 through North Somerset is passable with care and Valley Road Portishead has been ploughed and is also passable.

Other routes, which are in use with care, are the A371 through Banwell and Winscombe onto the A38 and The Failand Rd B3124.

The A370 is open and the main road to Blagdon is likely to be closed.

Weston College and its university campus in Loxton Road are both closed today.

Motorists are finding dangerous conditions getting onto the M5 motorway at junction 21 Weston-super-Mare.

Vehicles are travelling at a top speed of 40mph and journey times from Weston to Bristol are taking at least one and a half hours.

Trains are also seeing slight delays from Tauton to Weston.

Welsh rugby fans who travelled to Bristol Airport this morning hoping to fly to Edinburgh for the Six Nations clash against Scotland have found their flights cancelled.

Passengers whose flights have been cancelled returned to their cars this morning in the airport car park to find they had been snowed in.

John Tidball, 54, who works for the NHS in south Wales, said: "We have finally managed to get out of the car park, but it has been very difficult.

"People have abandoned their cars all over the place because of the snow and ice, so we had to make our way around them.

"I've been behind the wheel with the three guys in the car with me pushing outside. It's chaos, and most people are totally stuck in there."