The first flakes have already started to fall, this Thursday evening March 31. The departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais pass into orange vigilance for snow and ice from midnight until 2 p.m., Friday, April 1. We expect accumulations of 3 to 5 cm of snowlocally up to 10 cm, particularly in the Boulonnais.
The prefecture recommendsavoid travel which are not essential, to respect the deviations put in place, and to facilitate the passage of road clearing machines. Of many disturbances are to be expected on the road network.
Speed lowered by 20 km/h on roads
In our two departments, from midnight until 2 p.m., the speed is temporarily limited for vehicles under 3.5 tonnes at 110 km/h on sections of motorway normally limited to 130 km/h. She is limited at 90 km/h on motorway and national road sections normally limited to 110 km/h.
For trucks over 3.5 tonnes, overtaking maneuvers are prohibited and the maximum permitted speed is reduced to 80 km/h. Ad hoc measures to ban heavy goods vehicles may be taken on certain routes.
The circulation of exceptional transport is prohibited.
Public transport and school buses disrupted
In Pas-de-Calais, the prefect has decided to suspend school bus traffic throughout the department, until 2 p.m.
The intercity transport by coach, organized by the Hauts-de-France region, are suspended throughout Pas-de-Calais and two sectors in the North : the Arc-en-ciel 1 network (Flanders) and the Arc-en-Ciel 2 sector (Pévèle). The Artis interurban network, in Arrageois, is also at a standstill.
In the Lille metropolitan area, the Ilévia network announces that it has set up preventive actions from this Thursday evening. During the night, the runways of the airways will be kept “frost-free” thanks to a heating system. Oars will run empty to avoid snow and ice. The same is planned on the Transvilles network, in Valenciennes.
At this stage, SNCF has not announced any changes to the circulation of its trains.