School buses crash on icy roads in separate incidents as UK prepares for Storm Goretti

Two school buses crashed on icy roads on Wednesday (January 7) in separate incidents. Freezing conditions continue to grip the UK making for “slippery conditions” ahead of more heavy snowfall expected from Storm Goretti.

In Berkshire, emergency services were called to the A3290 exit slip road, near the Sutton Seeds roundabout in Earley, Wokingham, following a road traffic collision involving a Reading bus and a school coach. According to the South Central Ambulance Service, nine children, the driver of the coach, and eight adults from the bus all suffered minor injuries.

Two patients, one of whom is a school child, have since been taken to Royal Berkshire Hospital for further treatment. A spokesperson for the service said a member of their team reported the road conditions were “very icy” at the scene.

Meanwhile, Kent Police were called to Chilmington Green, Ashford, soon after 8am after a school bus left the road and ended up in a ditch. Kent Fire and Rescue Service said the bus was believed to have “slipped” off the road due to black ice. In a statement, police said that there are “no reported injuries”.

Yellow weather warnings were in place this morning with the Met Office warning of an “icy start” and more urgent warnings issued for Thursday. While temperatures were expected to be slightly warmer on Wednesday, with dry weather and sunny spells, it remains very cold.

Meteorologist Alex Burkill said there are “a lot of slippery conditions out there”, which is “worth factoring in if you’re about to head out the door”.

Sleet and snow showers are expected across northern Scotland, and the Met Office said thicker cloud with rain is expected to arrive across Northern Ireland, south-west Wales and south-west England later in the day. The north and east will see frost overnight, with some “freezing fog patches”, and rain is expected in the west with some snow in the north, according to the forecasters.

Thursday will see a cloudy and cold start to the day with wintry weather as Storm Goretti, named by Meteo France, comes in from the south west. Mr Burkill said: “Storm Goretti is on its way, arriving later tomorrow (Thursday, January 8) and affecting us through tomorrow and into Friday, bringing some strong winds and some significant snow to central and perhaps southern parts.”

The meteorologist said the storm will bring “wet, windy and wintry weather” to parts of the UK.

“As that rain pushes its way and it hits against that cold air that we currently have across us… and so on the northern edge, we are likely to see some fairly significant snow as we go through later tomorrow and into Friday,” he added.

Mr Burkill said exactly how far north this travels is “all to play for”, adding: “Exactly where we see that significant snow, that’s still a little bit uncertain, but the risk is there.”