There were around 100 accidents on Dutch roads on Saturday morning because of the slippery conditions, and widespread disruption on the trains.

The KNMI weather bureau had issued a code orange weather warning for the entire country up to 10.00 hours because of the risk of black ice on the roads. This was later downgraded in many parts to code yellow.

Train services to and from Amsterdam, Alkmaar, Utrecht and Amersfoort were severely disrupted because of overhead cables icing up in places. In other parts of the country there were reduced services and long delays.

‘There are thick layers of ice on the overhead cables, so the trains don’t get any power and cannot run,’ a spokesman for rail operator ProRail told news agency ANP.

Travellers are being advised to allow extra time to make their journeys.

Gritting lorries were out in force but there were dozens of accidents on the roads, mainly in the north and west, traffic information service VID said.

In total, some 45 million kilos of salt has been spread over main roads over the past 24 hours, ANP said.