An ambulance responding to an emergency was brought to a halt after huge snow drifts forced cars onto the wrong side of the road.
Paramedics were forced to wait amid traffic chaos near Blithfield Reservoir this morning, Friday, March 2.
Engineer Jim Harlow was driving to work in Rugeley when drifting snow and thick ice reduced the B5013 to one lane.
Despite having lived in Canada and Scotland, he believes conditions on the Abbots Bromley Road were the worst he has ever seen.
The 52-year-old said: "I've lived in places where temperatures drop to -35 and I've honestly never seen road conditions as bad as I saw this morning.
"People were sliding all over the road - I think police should have issued a warning not to use the B5013 without an appropriate vehicle.
"It's just completely crazy when an ambulance is responding to an emergency on blue lights and can't get past because people have been forced onto the wrong side of the road.
"The whole road was down to one lane because of massive amounts of snow drifting off the fields and thick ice on the surface.
"It was completely impassable to anyone in a normal car - absolute chaos.
"There were people in rear-wheel-drive BMWs getting stuck and having to be pulled out by people in 4x4s.
"Everyone in bigger vehicles, including farmers with industrial machinery, were doing their best to clear the snow so two lanes of traffic could pass."
After making it to work in one piece this morning, March 2, Jim said he felt the infrastructure to deal with heavy snow and ice in England was not up to scratch.
The Doveridge man said: "The difference between us in England and the situation in Scotland and Canada, in my experience, is that they're prepared for heavy snow and we aren't.
"There must have been five or six farmers along the road this morning who came out to help and they did a great job. The community spirit was fantastic.
"I think the police should have put a barrier up to close the road to anyone without a car designed to deal with these kind of conditions.
"It was incredibly dangerous - wagons were sliding all over the road."
The Uttoxeter Advertiser and Burton Mail are currently awaiting a response from Staffordshire Police.
The B5013 is the main route between Uttoxeter, Abbots Bromley and Rugeley.
How the ambulance service is coping with the 'Beast from the East'
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "A lot of planning and preparation has gone in to making sure we are as well prepared as possible for the inclement weather.
"That includes staffing levels having been maximised in front-line operations and in our control centres.
"All of our vehicles carry snow sox and a shovel to help them overcome any snow they may encounter whilst responding.
"Our fleet of 4x4 emergency ambulances are in full operation, whilst all other vehicles have a special mode they can switch to make it easier to drive in slippery conditions.
"Whilst conditions are undoubtedly challenging for our staff to respond to 999 calls – we are continuing to maintain a very high level of patient care, reaching people as quickly and as safely as possible.
"Staff have shown an incredible level of commitment and determination to get into work in order to be able to help patients, something for which the Trust’s Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, said he is very proud of and thanked all staff and volunteers for their efforts."
