- Title: GERMANY: Traffic problems across Germany as winter weather worsens
- Date: 10th January 2010
- Summary: VARIOUS OF CHILDREN ON SLEIGHS
- Embargoed: 25th January 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Weather
- Reuters ID: LVA8Y7PJVMK1EEFKB989YOR0YTGD
- Story Text: Flights cancelled and roads closed as heavy snow hits much of Germany.
Heavy snow and freezing temperatures continued to cause chaos on the roads in Germany on Saturday (January 9). The A5 motorway, the main road linking Germany with neighbouring France, was closed due to the wintry weather.
Some 500 lorries were left stranded at the border as authorities worked to clear the roads. Drivers waited overnight in their cabins to escape the sub-zero temperatures in the 4 kilometre long traffic jam at the border in the south-western state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
Although authorities had said it could take days to clear the snow, local media reported that police started allowing lorries to pass through the border in small groups in the late morning.
In Frankfurt more than 150 flights were cancelled at Germany's largest airport as snow continued to fall.
Despite dozens of snow ploughs working to clear the runways, the sub-zero temperatures and heavy snowfall forced airport authorities in Frankfurt to stop many flights from taking off. Visibility was very low at the airport as sine 5-10 centimetres of snow fell.
Passengers were left stranded inside the terminal building overnight and could be seen sleeping on benches.
"Two police officers told us that there will be no more flights today and that we will probably have to travel by train. But nothing is certain," Lucie Belliciome told Reuters TV.
Whereas other passengers were more positive.
"We haven't had any problems so far. Our flight is not yet on the negative list. We hope it will stay this way. We might have some problems in London because it doesn't look good there either. And then we will continue on to New Zealand where hopefully the weather will be nicer," said airline passenger Thorsten Lingner.
On the roads, workers had been out in force overnight spreading road salt on the main highways. Nevertheless the wintry conditions led to a number of traffic accidents.
Weather experts warned travellers to allow extra time for journeys and be prepared for major delays on the roads, especially in central Germany. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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