Following consultation with the Police and UK motoring organisations, the Met Office have decided to take the unprecedented step of recalling this year's Spring, on the grounds of safety.
A brief press release issued by the Met Office this morning states: "the combined effects of good weather and ongoing industrial action, which impacts both air and rail travel, will inevitably lead to a dramatic increase in the number of people taking to the roads this Easter. This in turn will lead to an unavoidable rise in the number of road traffic accidents, and consequently, an unacceptable growth in the number of deaths and injuries arising from such accidents. It is for this reason that the Met Office have today decided to recall Spring, and revert back to using the previous season, Winter. This season change will come into effect immediately, and will remain in operation over the entire Easter holiday period."
The Met Office are planning to reassess the situation after Easter, and are fully expected to reintroduce this year's Spring sometime in mid-April. However, the Met's statement does conclude with a stark warning that: "the Spring recall maybe repeated during May, in order to alleviate similar safety concerns surrounding both the May Day and Whitsun bank holidays."