On Boxing Day, there are very demanding driving conditions over large parts of Eastern Norway. This has created challenges in Christmas traffic.
In Holmenkollen in Oslo, the roads were spotless, and in the afternoon the police had to close the road for half an hour to clean it up.
– We have removed all the cars that were in the way and in the ditch. The road is now open to normal traffic. There were five cars that had driven into the ditch and a good number of other cars that neither got up nor down, due to the very slippery road, the police wrote at 2.30 pm.
CHAOS: There was occasional traffic chaos along Holmenkollveien. Photo: Nora Johnsen / TV 2
They encouraged everyone who did not have to go out to drive, to leave the car.
TV 2’s reporter on the scene told of mirror-shiny roads and long queues of cars in the direction of the city centre.
More collisions
Earlier in the day, the emergency services responded to a head-on collision in Drammen.
Two people were freed from the cars, and the road was closed in both directions as a result of the accident.
The road is icy where the accident happened, the police say.
Also at Braskereidfoss in Innlandet, two cars collided in the morning. One person was flown to Ullevål hospital with an unknown extent of injury.
Operations manager Per Solberg told about the snowfall and difficult driving conditions at the site.
Around 4 p.m., four cars were involved in a traffic accident in Brumunddal. No injuries have been reported, but traffic problems and a very slippery road.
Hans Haugestad in NAF tells of a busy Boxing Day assisting motorists in trouble.
– There have been many traffic jams. There have been an incredible number of telephone calls and it has boiled over from the start, says Haugestad to TV 2.
– There has been a lot throughout Christmas, but it is clear that today was very special, he says.
TRAVELT: Hans Haugestad in NAF tells about many assignments from 7 o’clock in the morning. Photo: Martin Fønnebø / TV 2
Hardangervidda may be closed
If you are going to drive national highway 7 over Hardangervidda today, it might be a good idea to get off as soon as possible.
– There is a great danger of convoy driving and road closures during the evening and into the night, states Vegtrafikksentralen west.
The reason is strong wind combined with snow.
– If you are going down from or over the mountain, you are recommended to drive now, reads the call.
TV 2’s news anchor was several hours late for work due to the driving conditions. See video below:
Delays at Gardermoen
At Oslo Airport Gardermoen, the weather has also created challenges on Boxing Day.
All arrivals until 17.30 were delayed, which amounted to over 90 flights.
At 16.30, head of public relations in Avinor, Erik Lødding, says that travelers must expect delays throughout the day.
– It is not the biggest departure day, but for those who travel it is boring. We have all crews out, says Lødding to TV 2.
There is ice and snow on the runways that cause trouble. This means that, for safety reasons, more time must be calculated between each departure, in order to plow the runway.
– We recommend that travelers show up as normal. Inside the airport, things are going well, and the security check is going well, says Lødding.
