Peak time snow chaos hit parts of the district today as motorists struggled along skid-pan roads in efforts to get to work and school.

Bradford Council's £1.4 million snow emergency plan swung into action but traffic still built up leaving drivers fuming - particularly into Bradford.

However, some parts of the district escaped the worst of the snow.

Highways chief Councillor Phil Thornton said the plan - operating through the authority's upgraded ice prediction equipment - had taken place as agreed but motorists had set off early, contributing to the traffic build-up.

He said at one stage gritters were unable to get through the traffic and appealed to drivers to use public transport if it was essential to travel.

Councillor Thornton, chairman of the Council's highways sub-committee said: "All the agreed routes were gritted at 4am and were clear.

"But there was a heavy snow fall at 6.30am which took us a bit by surprise."

Baildon was a black-spot at 7.30am as vehicles skidded on roads. People said it appeared there had been no gritting on the Springfield Road and Baildon Road - the main route through the village. There were also complaints about snow-covered roads at Rooley Lane/Manchester Road; Harrogate Road/Green-gates/Five Lane Ends, and along main roads into Otley from Baildon.

Problems also occurred on parts of Canal Road and motorists were delayed in Bingley.

On Cottingley Cliffe Road, at the junction with Stoney Ridge Road, both lanes of the road into Bradford were blocked for more than an hour and a half by two lorries stuck next to each other.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, leader of the Council's Liberal Democrat group, who lives in Baildon said Council staff had received a warning about severe weather yesterday afternoon. "There seems absolutely no reason for being caught out."

Bus company First Bradford said its services into some estates and hilly areas were hit by the weather, but they were getting back to normal.

Operations director Khadim Hussain said they would speak to the Council about the difficulties and there had been a report from staff of communications problems with the gritting operation.

Mr Hussain said: "I think there are lessons to be learned from this. There is still a long way to go this winter but our priorities at the moment have been getting services back to normal."

A train breakdown at Leeds caused serious rail disruption at 8.45am but a Northern Spirit spokesman said it was not connected with the weather.

Services are back to normal after delays between Bradford Interchange and Leeds.

A Press Association's weather centre spokesman said the snow was due to turn to rain later today.

He said: "It will probably stay longer on Pennine areas and on the North Yorkshire moors.

"But in Bradford, all the snow should have gone by the end of today. And tomorrow it will be sunny showers, with rain later."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.