Road crashes as snow hits county
Published: 09:23, 24 January 2007
KENT Police are warning drivers to take extra care following several road accidents in the snow and ice.
A woman was taken to hospital with an arm injury after her car, a van and another car collided at the junction of Sherwood Road and Sandhurst Road in Tunbridge Wells.
In another incident a car hit a house in Cot Lane in Biddenden. No one was hurt and there does not appear to be major damage, though a structural engineer is assessing the property.
In Acrise near Hawkinge, Coach Road was closed to recover a car.
A large white Luton van was reported to have gone into a ditch in Seven Mile Lane at Mereworth. This may cause some traffic delays when it is recovered.
There were separate collisions reported at Impton Lane and Grange Hill in Chatham, at Lancelot Avenue in Rochester and on the A2 near Barham in the Canterbury area.
A car hit a lamppost in Margate Road off the A299 Thanet Way and a lorry suffered front end damage on the London bound carriageway of the Thanet Way between Herne Bay and Whitstable. There were no reports of injuries.
Main routes are passable and traffic is flowing on motorways and main trunk roads. However, rural routes and side roads are affected by snow in some areas.
A fallen branch has damaged a power cable in Cooper's Lane, Sellindge, and icy conditions made Blackhouse Hill in Hythe treacherous.
Kent County Council's fleet of gritting lorries worked throughout the night on main roads across the county.
Numerous schools have been closed for the day because of the conditions.
Southeastern trains has reported widespread delays and cancellations due to the weather. Points failures added to problems on the lines between Hastings and Charing Cross, Gillingham and Victoria and Dartford and London Bridge.
Services on the Sidcup and Bexleyheath lines were diverted to the North Kent line.
“Ghost” trains were run along the tracks overnight to prevent a snow-build up and spread de-icer on the lines.
Network Rail advises passengers to check services are running before setting off.
In London, underground services were suffering delays and cancellations.
Although the snow may begin to subside later, freezing temperatures will mean treacherous conditions on the roads and underfoot.
For details of school closures across the countyVisit our Kent school closures website
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KentOnline reporter