TRAFFIC is moving well around the city after gritters and snowploughs were out in the early hours.

There were problems on the M5 which was closed northbound early this morning, but the carriageway has since reopened.

The south of the county has seen about 8cm of snow, with the north harder hit with up to 15cm.

Many out-lying rural areas remain snowed in as main roads are cleared first.

Jon Fraser, Worcestershire County Council roads chief, said the snow was thicker north of Worcester.

The council have re-deployed gritters to north Worcestershire in a bid to keep Redditch and Bromsgrove moving and to clear the A38, which was heavily congested from a combination of snow, ice and extra traffic from the M5.

Mr Fraser said: "The snow started to fall about 3am and it has been worse in the north of the county.

"We had some problems on the M5 and we moved gritters from Evesham to the north to keep traffic moving around Bromsgrove and Redditch."

There were queues tailing back to Junction 7 (A44) of the motorway, south Worcester, after a broken down vehicle had to be recovered at Junction 4A of the M42 at about 7.35am, closing the northbound carriageway for two hours.

By 8am traffic was moving again, albeit slowly, however accidents on the M42 and M40 are causing hold-ups in the West Midlands.

Elsewhere, drivers tip-toed their way to work this morning with most main roads and A-routes passable.

Traffic has been queuing northbound on the A38 at Droitwich, with lorries struggling to get up the incline near the Chateau Impney hotel.

And at Bretforton, near Evesham, a bus went into a ditch leaving the B4035 partially blocked with hazardous driving conditions reported.

There are no serious delays reported on rail services in the south of the county with trains running on main routes to Birmingham New Street and London but commuters and travellers are being asked to check with rail operators before they set off.

A reduced bus service is running in the city and rural areas are worse affected with bus passengers again urged to check with service operators if they have any doubts.

Other county services have been hit with Blossom Vale Children's Centre in Pershore shut until Tuesday, January 4. In Wychavon Spring Vale, Apple Vale and Orchard Vale Children's Centres are closed.

The Connect day service in Three Springs Road, Pershore, is shut today.

Day closures have been announced for people accessing learning disability day services at: Cherry Orchard, Open View, The Larches at Top Barn, Rainbow Recycling, and Options, Checketts Lane in and around Worcester.

There are also closures at Evesham Day Centre, The Bungalow, and Wallace House in Evesham, Pershore Day Centre, Kingfields in Droitwich, and Malvern SEC.

  • Conditions on the A4103 are hazardous in both directions at Fromes Hill, between Worcester and Hereford, due to a broken down vehicle, ice and snow, and slow-moving HGVs.
  • The B4035 at Bretforton, near Evesham, is partially blocked both ways between B4085 and B4632 after a bus left the road and went into a ditch.
  • The A449 northbound at Hartlebury has fully reopened after a closure, caused by two broken down lorries and snow between Crown Lane and B4193 Rectory Lane.
  • The A44 at Evesham Road is also now moving in both directions after a broken down lorry was cleared.

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