Emergency crews tend to dozens of collisions on London-area highways

Tuesday was a busy day for emergency crews and first responders on London-area highways, with provincial police reporting dozens of collisions along Highways 401 and 402.

Lake effect snow, blowing snow, and icy roadways resulted in collisions and lane closures throughout the morning and afternoon hours.

Hwy. 401 saw lane reductions from Veteran’s Memorial to Highbury Avenue through London, while on the 402, both westbound lanes were closed for around two hours west of Centre Road due to multiple collisions.

A single tractor-trailer crash near Kerwood Road around 8:30 a.m. closed the right lane of the westbound 402 for more than an hour.

“Road clearing operations continued throughout the morning,” police said in a statement. “Motorists are reminded to exercise caution when travelling on alternate roads due to slippery conditions and diminished visibility from blowing snow.”

Meanwhile, southwest of London, provincial police with the OPP’s Chatham-Kent detachment responded to more than 22 vehicle-related collisions in a 14-hour period on Monday.

A weather bulletin issued by Environment Canada said a small, low-pressure system developed on a cold front on Monday, resulting in snowfall across southern Ontario. As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, around eight to 10 centimetres of snow had fallen in the London area, according to measurements from volunteer weather observers.

In a statement, Middlesex OPP Constable Max Gomez reminded motorists to slow down for emergency vehicles and tow operators.