Light snowfall expected overnight

Motoring organisations are warning drivers to take extra care

Light snow showers are expected overnight and on Saturday across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, the Met office said.

Councils urged motorists to take care as stocks of grit dwindle and deliveries are sent to areas in need.

Hundreds of schools were closed over the three counties. Herts County Council's director of schools John Harris said he wants them to stay open.

He added it should be done without any risk to staff and pupils.

"It is vital to maintain the confidence and support of parents whose work and childcare arrangements may be hit by school closures", said Mr Harris.

"The consequences of school closures have a serious knock-on effect for parents' work and care arrangements as well as the wider business community in Hertfordshire."

Reduced gritting

First Capital Connect has emergency timetables in place on both Thameslink and the Great Northern rail routes with only half hourly trains on the Bedford-Brighton service.

Other operators have introduced winter timetables with some services cancelled and others delayed.

Central Bedfordshire Council said it had been forced to carry out reduced gritting runs and only able to salt A and B roads in Central Bedfordshire.

It said its crews had been carrying out "spot gritting" on badly-affected areas on A and B roads on Friday, and manually treating footways and pedestrian areas in town centres.

At 1740 GMT on Friday it had approximately 380 tonnes of salt in stock, which a spokesman said is enough for nine more runs on the A and B network.

"With such a huge demand for salt throughout the country we are unsure when any of our 3,000 tonnes of salt, which is currently on order, will be delivered," the spokesman added.