There are severe delays on the A1(M) southbound this morning, with solid traffic from Letchworth to Stevenage as the Beast from the East hits.

The carriageway is gridlocked from Junction 9 for Letchworth Gate to Junction 7 for Stevenage, with heavy traffic back to Junction 10 for Baldock services.

Traffic England has indicated that there are 40-minute delays against expected traffic on the stretch, with normal conditions expected to return between 10.45am and 11am.

Traffic is slow on the A507 between Shefford and Stotfold, and on most of the roads out of Hitchin – particularly the A602 Park Way and Stevenage Road, the A505 towards Luton, the B655 Pirton Road, the A505 Cambridge Road towards Letchworth, and Walsworth Road near the railway station.

There are also tailbacks on the A600 Bedford Road heading northbound, all the way back to Butts Close.

In Stevenage, there is congestion on the A602 coming onto the A1(M) at Junction 7, which is also affecting Gunnels Wood Road.

Further north, there is also heavy traffic on the A1’s southbound stretch near Sandy. The A1 ws partially blocked near the Biggleswade north roundabout after a crash shortly before 8am.