by Chris Hunter

Snow and ice are continuing to create treacherous driving conditions on the county's roads.

All major routes were this morning reported as "passable with care" but the Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for widespread icy roads across the region.

Drivers are advised not to make journeys unless strictly necessary.

Police say fog on Blue Bell Hill has led to poor visibility at the Lord Lees Roundabout, while the following travel warnings have been issued for the county.

• M2 Brenley Corner/A299 - heavy snow, please avoid
• M2 Londonbound between junctions 5-6 – one lane open
• M2 Junction 2 – whiteout with very little visibility
• M2 junction 3-4 – outside lane is closed
• M20 – very heavy snow. Junction 8-9 one lane is closed
• Eurostar – cancellations of some services. Please check before travelling
• A2 – heavy snow in Canterbury area. The slip road at Dunkirk is now open
• A2 Boughton Hill, Boughton under Blean is impassable due to snow
• A282 onto A2 flyover – a jack-knifed lorry is blocking two lanes
• A229 Bluebell Hill – snowing heavily but passable
• Sheppey Crossing – heavy snow and poor visibility but passable.
• Bluewater – Main flyover is closed but roads are gritted and entrances to site are clear and vehicles are moving in and out
• A299 Thanet Way is now open

Police are advising people to drive only if absolutely necessary. If you do need to drive, extreme caution is required.

Gritters this morning been out in force in Maidstone town centre, but in outlying areas motorists and pedestrians have continued to struggle with near-impassable roads.

Prior to today, a Facebook campaign to get KCC to grit pavements in Maidstone had attracted over 1,000 members in just two days.

One man was taken to hospital after a collision between a van and a car on the A26 between Barming and Teston at 4.20pm last night, Thursday January 7. The road was closed while emergency services and recovery vehicles attended, but was repoened by 5.10pm.

Recovery teams were called to Kemsing Lane, Wrotham, at around 5pm last night, where an HGV was reported as stuck.

In Sutton Valence, villagers praised the efforts of a man, not thought to be a council employee, who single-handedly gritted Sutton Valence Hill.

Charles Hook and his family, from Marden, thanked an off duty police officer and several members of the public who helped push their car when they got stuck on Loose Hill on Wednesday January 6.

Maidstone council say teams have been working round the clock to clear snow from car parks and other council sites such as the crematorium since 5.30am on Thursday.

Kent Police’s Force Communications Centre (FCC) say they handled 9,136 calls on Wednesday and Thursday January 6 and 7, mainly due to the heavy snowfall.

The force currently has access to 168 4x4 vehicles which are being used to patrol the roads to ensure no-one is stranded for long periods of time.

Police are advising people to drive only if absolutely necessary. If you do need to drive, extreme caution is required.

For traffic updates check www.kenthighways.gov.uk.

Maidstone council has also urged drivers to take extra care when using the borough's car parks as conditions have not yet improved.

Teams have continued to clear the snow. The lower floors of King Street multi storey car park are undercover, so are being recommended as the best ones to use.