WEATHER: Travel Delays and School Closures

Further snow has fell overnight and continues to fall this morning (Wednesday 28.2.18) here we will be updating you as much as we can on roads, transport and schools across Sunderland. 

An amber ‘be prepared’ weather warning for heavy snows, ice and lightening strikes remain in place for large swathes of North East England and Scotland including Sunderland.

Sunderland College will close at 3:30pm and remain closed tomorrow before opening Friday.

This morning bus services across Sunderland started to operate but Stagecoach then stopped all services and buses returned to the depot.

Within the last half hour, Services 20 and 16 in Sunderland are now starting to run, but other services remain cancelled at the moment.

Stagecoach in South Shields E buses between South Shields and Sunderland are now returning to Sunderland after they were terminating at Whitburn earlier.

SS Ops: Economic services are resuming normal route to Sunderland City Center however E2 and E6 services will omit Lizard Lane due to the road conditions currently. All other services are operating satisfactorily.

— Stagecoach North East (@StagecoachNE) February 28, 2018

Fellow bus operator Go North East withdrew services earlier than planned last night, today services are running but they are sticking to main routes only.

All services heading out this morning but will be sticking to main roads as much as possible, if you normally catch your bus from an estate please walk to a main road stop.

— Go North East (@gonortheast) February 28, 2018

A number of schools across Sunderland have announced closures, we’ll be updating our Closure map throughout the morning.

You can see our School Closure map here.

Meanwhile, the University of Sunderland has closed it’s doors at 12pm to all staff and students. The senior Management team will make decision as to if the University will remain closed tomorrow.

Sunderland College has confirmed that they will shut at 3:30pm today and will remain closed tomorrow before reopening Friday.

The Sunderland Students Union have confirmed the SU minibus, which links the campuses and accommodation blocks, is not operating today and the National Glass Centre in Sunderland is closed today.

https://twitter.com/uosmediahub/status/968765352632086529?s=21

The snow is also affecting the Tyne and Wear metro service but they are  largely running a normal service, but with delays.

We are currently operating to all destinations, but subject to delays systemwide. Thank you to our passengers for your patience and understanding this morning.

— Tyne and Wear Metro (@My_Metro) February 28, 2018

There is further problems in South Tyneside as Hebburn platform 2 isn’t in operation this morning.

TRAINS ARE UNABLE TO STOP AT HEBBURN PLATFORM 2. Please use platform 1, to travel to BEDE -changing to platform 2 if travelling towards Newcastle. We are sorry for the obvious inconvenience caused.

— Tyne and Wear Metro (@My_Metro) February 28, 2018

On the trains, there’s serve disruptions on services right across the North East including on Northern and Grand Central through Sunderland.

https://twitter.com/northernassist/status/968803800705314816?s=21

On the roads, conditions are poor in many areas, many back roads and estate routes are impassable.

The advice is to travel only if it’s absolutely necessary and if you are on the roads try sticking to main routes.

Here’s our 11am update on the roads.

• A19 is still slow moving, but all major delays have cleared a
• Difficult conditions on Blind Lane, Burdon Lane and Burdon Road with stationary traffic.
• Elsewhere, stationary traffic on the coast road from Ryhope into Seaham with some social media suggesting to avoid the route.

✅ CLEARED

The previous jack-knifed lorry on A690 Houghton Cut #HoughtonLeSpring northbound has been removed.

The road has re-opened both directions to 1 lane currently due to the snowy conditions. pic.twitter.com/mWBgVF8nmi

— North East Live Traffic (@NELiveTraffic) February 28, 2018

We will continue to update this post with the latest travel information as we can.