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Snow could cost £3.5bn with workers picking up the bill

Updated on 03 February 2009

By Julian Rush

Union officials accuse bosses of docking pay or forcing staff who didn't make it into work yesterday to take holiday leave.

It is estimated the bad weather could cost the British economy £3.5bn by the end of the week.

As many as 8,000 schools were closed, train services across the midlands, south and south east remain disrupted, and smaller roads are remain blocked.

Some councils warn they only have three days worth of grit left.



Interview: Andrew Cave and Clarissa Williams

The head of policy at the Federation of Small Businesses, Andrew Cave, and the President of the National Association of Head Teachers, Clarissa Williams, talk about the reaction to the heavy snowfall.

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