All Birmingham schools were closed this morning for a second consecutive day amid fears over the safety of pupils and staff as icy weather continued to grip the region.
Yesterday more than a quarter of a million pupils stayed at home in Birmingham, Solihull and Dudley after education chiefs ordered a complete schools’ shutdown due to the bad weather.
Dozens of schools did not open in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and Wolverhampton.
On the roads, Midland motorists were warned to take extra care and time today as snow turned to ice.
A Highways Agency spokesman advised drivers, if they must travel, to carry warm clothing and to take an emergency pack in their cars, including food, water, de-icer, blankets and a spade.
A total of 27 city council gritters took to the streets of Birmingham yesterday ahead of the predicted snowfall. The city's major roads were also gritted during rush hour and throughout the day.
The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported that as many as 50 per cent of businesses remained closed yesterday.
Chief executive Jerry Blackett said: "The decision to close all schools in the region would have meant many employees, particularly mothers, would have been unable to leave children at home alone and had to stay off work.
"This obviously affected business throughout the area. It is expected that lateness and loss of work hours will cost the British economy up to #400 million."
