RESIDENTS in Hertfordshire are today (Saturday) being warned to travel only if absolutely necessary, due to heavy snow.

The directive by the Highways Agency comes after the Met Office issued a severe weather warning for the county for this afternoon.

Up to 25 centimetres of snow could fall locally as blizzard-like conditions move in from the west.

Jon Caldwell, regional operations manager for the Highways Agency, said: “Motorists should seriously consider whether their journey is necessary. This snow belt is moving eastwards.

“If vehicles become immobilised on these icy and snow covered roads it makes it much harder for us to complete our gritting runs.

“We have already experienced difficulties with abandoned vehicles in other parts of the country.

“Motorists must consider if their journey is essential.”

Hertfordshire Highways’ fleet of gritters are working non-stop to keep roads salted and moving as much as possible.

Its latest tweets on Twitter revealed snow ploughs would be used on main routes if needed and, when gritting lorries have returned to the depot from their latest run, they would be refilled and directed by police to any troublespots.