No gritters as snow sparks roads chaos
GLASGOW woke up to chaos as heavy snow brought roads to a standstill today with no sign of gritters despite predicted heavy snow overnight.
Major routes were at a virtual standstill with cars crawling along city roads. Busy streets were described as ‘treacherous’ after 5cm of snow fell.
Bus services were also facing significant problems with many unable to complete their routes.
First Bus Glasgow informed travellers that streets in Clydebank, Drumchapel, Ruchill and Newlands could not be serviced due to the weather.
Another bus become stuck on a hill in Kelvindale while cars stuck at the top of Hyndland Street made travelling impossible.
Kate McCall said: “City centre pavements are treacherous. Specifically Bothwell Street and West Campbell Street.”
Craig Alcorn added: “What’s a gritter? Place is covered in black ice and in my street there’s a blind persons centre and its bad enough for them to get into it.”
Maggie McQueen said: “Ancaster Drive at Great Western Road in Anniesland has not been touched and there’s a sheltered housing complex at the end of the street.”
One angry driver, who did not want to be named, commented: “Byres Road this morning was a mess, as was Great Western Road. The snow had been falling for hours before I left home yet there was no sign of any gritters anywhere. They are major thoroughfares – they should have been a top priority. It’s absolutely ridiculous that the council hadn’t organised gritters.
Operations at Glasgow Airport were suspended as staff worked to clear runways.
At around 10am the travel hub tweeted it was back up and running, but winter operations staff would be on standby throughout the day.
Glasgow City Council has been contacted for comment but has so far failed to respond.