Last update: 12.45am, Friday

Members of the public travelling into Douglas and Onchan from the north of the Island this morning (Friday) are being advised by police to set off early.

It follows severe delays yesterday, particularly between Baldrine and Onchan.

Police say the same thing is likely to happen again, because of road closures and the continuing icy conditions.

Officers and Department of Transport staff will be out in the affected areas, trying the keep the traffic flowing.

Police say conditions are still very icy and dangerous, and motorists and pedestrians are being urged to take great care on the roads and pavements, and only travel if they have to.

The mountain road is to remain closed until the week after next.

The Department of Transport says the big freeze has made it impossible to keep the route open.

And with overnight temperatures forecast to continue well below freezing, the chances of clearing the road of seven inches of snow and ice are virtually nil.

The DoT says its resources have been needed elsewhere in the Island since the start of the week.

Director of Works Jeff Robinson says drivers can expect a prolonged closure (Play audio file):

Elsewhere, roads and bus services are continuing to return to normal, following the severe disruption caused by snow and ice, earlier in the week.

Minorca Hill, Laxey reopened last night, and the Lhergy Cripperty Road came back into use during the afternoon.

It's hoped to reopen the Sloc Road at 1pm today and, at the same time, the Tholt-e-Will Road, the Druidale Road, the Injebreck Road and the Brandywell Road will be reassessed.

The main bus routes - numbers one, two, three and four - are operating as normal today, although services on one and two won't go to the Sound, Bradda and Derby Haven (see details below).

There is a fuller school bus service today, but places as diverse as parts of Pulrose and Birch Hill to outlying reaches of the Island, such as Smeale, the Point of Ayre and Cronk-y-Voddy, won't be reached (again, see details of all routes below):

The following general services are operating today (Friday):

Service 1 and 2: Normal service between Douglas, Castletown, Port Erin and Port St Mary, without the extensions to the Sound, Bradda and Derby Haven.

Service 3: Normal service between Douglas, Laxey and Ramsey.

Service 4: Normal service between Douglas, Foxdale and Peel.

Service 5A: This will operate from Douglas via Peel Road directly to Peel, and on via Kirk Michael to Ramsey. The departure times will be those of the normal 5 and 6 services. As a result, Noble's Hospital, Strang Road and the Hope will not be served.

Service 11S: This is a special service between Lord Street and Noble's Hospital operating at 10 and 40 minutes past each hour, with the first bus departing at 7.40am.

Service 16: This will be the normal service between Ramsey and Maughold.

Service 17A: The 10.10am and 12.15pm services will operate as normal, except Richmond Road and Ramsey Cottage Hospital will not be served. The service will run via Jurby Road, Andreas, Bride via the Kimerick Road, and Dogmills to Ramsey.

Route 18: The 11.10am and 1.15pm services will operate as normal.

Route 20: The 3.15pm service will run, but Smeale and the Point of Ayre will not be served.

Service 21S: This is a special service operating every 30 minutes from 06.45am, serving the normal route between Douglas and Farmhill, with the exception of Hazel and Heather Crescents in Pulrose.

Service 25S: This is a special service in the Douglas and Onchan area, operating from Lord Street via Bucks Road, Woodbourne Road, St Ninian's, Ballanard Road, Johnny Watterson's Lane, Hailwood Drive, Sign Post, Avondale Road, Manx Arms, Royal Avenue and Douglas promenade, back to Lord Street. It will operate at 6.30am, 7.00am, 7.30am and every 15 minutes thereafter.

Service 26S: Another special service which will operate in the opposite direction to the 25S. It will run at 6.45am, 7.30am, 7.45am, 8.00am, 8.30am and every 15 minutes thereafter.

A further announcement will be made at 3.00pm today (Friday) as Bus Vannin attempts to restore more services to the estates as the weather improves.

All school bus services today (Friday) will operate normally, with the following exceptions:

Service 7: Cancelled.

Service 9A: Ballaughton Manor Hill and Ballabrooie will not be served.

Service 9C: Ballabrooie will not be served.

Service 10: Cronk-y-Voddy will not be served.

Service 17B: The Lhen and Kiondrogohad Road will not be served.

Service 20A: Smeale and the Point of Ayre will not be served.

Service 29: Cancelled.

Service 32A, 33 and 33A: Hazel and Heather Crescents, Pulrose will not be served.

Service 38 and 42: Lakeside and Ballachrink will not be served.

Service 39 and 40: Birch Hill will not be served.

Service 44: This route will operate, but Old Laxey Village will not be served.

Service 45: Abbeylands, Baldwin and Mount Rule will not be served.

Service 52: Ballaughton Manor Hill will not be served.

Service 63: Braddan will not be served.

Service 64: Cancelled.

Service 66: Braaid and St Mark's will not be served.

The Ramsey and north school buses will run as normal a service as possible.

Information relating to weather affected events on Friday, and beyond:

The Community Health Family Planning Clinic is scheduled to go ahead this evening, having been cancelled last night.

The Chair Based Exercise session in Port Erin has been cancelled.

All Isle of Man College courses around the Island due to be held this evening are off. An announcement will be made today about those scheduled for the weekend.

A decision is also due on events today and at the weekend on the synthetic pitches at the NSC, Kensington Road, QEII High School, Ramsey Grammar School and Castle Rushen High School will remain closed today.

The Pony Club's annual Christmas Party and Prize Presentation, scheduled for this evening has been put back a week. The Horse and Pony Care evening, scheduled for January 15 will now take place on January 29.

This morning's Walk and Talk session at Noble's Park has been cancelled, due to the obvious dangerous walking conditions.

The St John Ambulance Douglas Badgers session will not be held tomorrow (Saturday). The decision has been taken for safety reasons, and it's hoped everything will be back to normal on January 16.