Treacherous icy roads cause chaos

One of the cars involved in the pile-ups on the M27

Icy roads in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight caused chaos on Wednesday with a number of crashes and pile-ups.

The M27 westbound was shut for more than two hours because of accidents, while rail services around Southampton and Portsmouth were also affected.

South Central Ambulance Service declared a major incident as a result of the pressure placed on services.

Police in Hampshire also received a high number of calls "well above the average for a normal week day".

The treacherous conditions were caused by freezing temperatures and heavy rain that turned to ice.

Hampshire County Council said it was maintaining round the clock salting to keep traffic flowing.

Train companies warned that further disruption was likely on Thursday morning.

The rain washed away the salt and then ice formed on the city's pavements and roads Southampton City Council spokeswoman

A runway at Southampton Airport was also closed on Wednesday morning but later reopened.

First Buses suspended all of its bus routes in Southampton and around Fareham due to "sheet black ice all over the place".

"Roads were becoming impassable and it was becoming too dangerous," said a spokesman.

"We resumed all our services in Southampton at 11.30am and in Fareham throughout the afternoon.

"We are running all main routes but what I would say is traffic is exceptionally heavy on the roads today.

"It is doubly busy because people did not go shopping this morning."

South West Trains services continued to be disrupted on Wednesday evening between Eastleigh and Bournemouth, between Southampton Central and Fratton and between Eastleigh and Fratton.

There was also a reduced service between Guildford and Portsmouth Harbour.

First Great Western said there had been a replacement bus service running between Cosham and Fareham but the line has since reopened.

Cross Country said services between Bournemouth and Reading via Southampton had also been disrupted.

Southampton City Council said gritters had been out since early on Wednesday to treat roads and pavements.

"However, unfortunately at 6am this morning it lightly rained in sub-zero temperatures in the city," a spokeswoman said.

'Too dangerous to walk'

"The rain washed away the salt and then ice formed on the city's pavements and roads."

She added the local authority had had more than 100 officers gritting the roads and pavements with 39 vehicles.

Main and minor roads in Southampton city centre, Millbrook, Freemantle and Hamble had been "particularly treacherous", police said.

BBC reporter Anna Lindsay said it was "too dangerous to even walk on the pavements" during the morning.

She added police had been patrolling the area advising people to return to their homes and not attempt to walk or drive anywhere.

The Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service described the roads as an "ice rink".

"The gritting on the island started at 0500 GMT but the pavements will not be - only the main roads, " said a spokesman.

"We would advise people not go out unless they have to."

He added that one milk float had hit four cars in the early hours and another one in Wooton had lost its load as a result of the conditions.

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