Icy roads during the morning commute have seen at least seven traffic accidents - including two multi-car collisions.
Today's arctic temperatures are forecast to tighten their icy grip as the mercury plummets towards -10C across the UK.
Thermometers will fall to -10C in parts of Scotland, and around -7C in southern England.
And after another perishing night in the South, experts predict temperatures in the region will drop further to -8C or -9C tonight as an unusually large high pressure system continues to dominate the UK weather.
Police in Devon and Cornwall have reported several incidents resulting in road closures and major delays on some of the region's main arterial routes.
On the A38 at Tideford, five vehicles were involved in an early-morning collision and emergency services were attempting to release a number of people trapped in
their cars.
The extent of their injuries is not yet known.
Also, police, fire and ambulance services were attending the scene of a four-vehicle incident on the A38 at Harcombe Bends.
No one was seriously injured, but one lane of the Exeter-bound carriageway was blocked, causing three- to four-mile tailbacks.
There were also two collisions on the A30 in Devon, also resulting in major delays.
A police spokesman said: "Drivers must be aware that this time of year, and particularly during this freezing spell, it is likely that they will face ice at various locations across the counties."
The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for London and the South East, cautioning people over icy roads and pavements.
Sky News weather presenter Francis Wilson said more freezing weather is on the way, but things should warm up by the weekend.
He warned that the cold weather was more likely to bring frost and black ice than snow, with roads in Kent being particularly badly affected by slippery roads.
He added that this is the longest widespread cold snap the UK has seen for 13 years.
"Because over the last 10-20 years, the winters have generally not been that cold, this has been a big surprise for many people," he said.
Freezing Britain Weather: Icy Roads Result In Accidents And Snow In London As Cold Snap Continues | UK News | Sky News
Today's arctic temperatures are forecast to tighten their icy grip as the mercury plummets towards -10C across the UK.
Thermometers will fall to -10C in parts of Scotland, and around -7C in southern England.
And after another perishing night in the South, experts predict temperatures in the region will drop further to -8C or -9C tonight as an unusually large high pressure system continues to dominate the UK weather.
Police in Devon and Cornwall have reported several incidents resulting in road closures and major delays on some of the region's main arterial routes.
On the A38 at Tideford, five vehicles were involved in an early-morning collision and emergency services were attempting to release a number of people trapped in
their cars.
The extent of their injuries is not yet known.
Also, police, fire and ambulance services were attending the scene of a four-vehicle incident on the A38 at Harcombe Bends.
No one was seriously injured, but one lane of the Exeter-bound carriageway was blocked, causing three- to four-mile tailbacks.
There were also two collisions on the A30 in Devon, also resulting in major delays.
A police spokesman said: "Drivers must be aware that this time of year, and particularly during this freezing spell, it is likely that they will face ice at various locations across the counties."
The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for London and the South East, cautioning people over icy roads and pavements.
Sky News weather presenter Francis Wilson said more freezing weather is on the way, but things should warm up by the weekend.
He warned that the cold weather was more likely to bring frost and black ice than snow, with roads in Kent being particularly badly affected by slippery roads.
He added that this is the longest widespread cold snap the UK has seen for 13 years.
"Because over the last 10-20 years, the winters have generally not been that cold, this has been a big surprise for many people," he said.
Freezing Britain Weather: Icy Roads Result In Accidents And Snow In London As Cold Snap Continues | UK News | Sky News
