Would you drive from Kent to Southport tomorrow (Sunday)

[Flowersandforests]

Hi ladies - we are due to be going to a family party tomorrow in Southport and the plan was to drive up and then stay with family for a few nights. We would be driving through almost all of the Amber weather warning Sunday morning.

I think we should cancel especially as we have a 4 month old baby and I’m concerned about how dangerous the roads would be / if we got stuck on the motorway for hours and hours.

DH (whose family we are visiting) says it would be extremely rude to cancel this last minute and we should still go.

WWYD? I’ve looked at trains but it would involve lots of changes from our house and not sure they would be any better in the bad weather.

I wouldn’t go with the baby. Can DH go on his own?

Midlands - snowing here now. I imagine it's only going to get worse so no. That journey would be horrific at the best of times.

The problem is they issue “do not travel” warnings whenever there is as little as a light breeze now so it’s hard to judge.

Snow is no joke to drive in though so as others have said maybe assess the conditions in the morning, I would warn PIL this was the plan so it’s not a last minute cancellation.

waves to fellow Southport people

I'm in Southport and it's been snowing for a couple of hours now and is forecast to carry on until the morning. I really wouldn't risk it with a baby.

They really don't. Check how many times they advise against all but essential travel, it's not that often at all.

Absolutely don't go with a young child. It's just not worth the stress.

It's potentially a nearly 5 hour drive in normal conditions OP. We're in north Derbyshire, south of Manchester and we've had several inches of snow overnight. The cross Pennine routes are affected. Manchester and Liverpool airports have closed their runways while they trying to clear the snow. I got home around 7 last night and no gritting had been done or was being done that I saw. We live off a busy A road and in bad weather it becomes very busy because everyone who would normally take country roads diverts to the safer, but longer, route.

Why on earth would you with all these warnings?

I was referring to the AA who issue these warning all the time. I go out to drive to work expecting the worst and find out there was nothing to worry about. Which inevitably makes me less likely to pay attention the next time.

It's thick snow here and I'm 10 miles from Southport

What did you do in the end OP?

I was really hoping that the OP would have updated to say they had stayed at home.

thanks for all the comments ladies - luckily my husband had a rethink when we started getting snow last night and we stayed home !

Having been on the motorways today (but further north... M62 and A1) I think you were wise. We were returning home, and there's school tomorrow, but it wasn't the day for fun driving. I think Highways did brilliant on rutting and clearing but it was still a bit dicey.

I think you made a wise choice especially with a small baby in the car. If you did break down it becomes really cold incredibly quickly in a car and would be so stressful with a baby.