Thick ice and snow have caused further travel disruption in Western Europe, as transport networks struggle to cope with the busy Christmas period. In northern Germany, freezing rain created 2cm of ice on some main roads, prompting officials to advise against driving. The motorway between Berlin and Hamburg was said to be at a standstill and heavy overnight snow in the Magdeburg area left a number of motorists stranded.There were further snowfalls in northern France and more were forecast. Driving conditions in parts of Britain were said to be treacherous on one of the year's busiest days on the roads. Delays and cancellations affected rail services in parts of Scotland, England and Wales. Heathrow, the world's busiest international airport, was said to be operating a near normal schedule. Both runways reopened last night for the first time since Saturday. In France, the authorities placed 17 areas on the second highest state of alert, including the entire Paris region. Weather forecasters have warned of heavy snow.