The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Snow brings crashes and school closures
Drivers urged to check weather forecast and road conditions
Schools were closed and several road accidents reported as huge swathes of Perth and Kinross were hit by a white-out.
An injured woman was removed from her car by paramedics and firefighters following an accident on the snow-hit A85 Perth to Crianlarich road near Crieff.
There was also an accident on the A9 Perth to Stirling road near Gleneagles amid appalling conditions, with southbound traffic experiencing delays as a result.
Children enjoyed an unscheduled day off with schools in Kinloch Rannoch, Glenlyon and Kenmore all closing their doors.
Chief Inspector Ian Scott, area commander for Perth and Kinross, said: “The weather in Scotland is notoriously unpredictable at the best of times and never more so than during winter.
“Before planning a journey on the road, motorists should check the weather forecast and road conditions.”
Residents are braced for further disruption, with a weather warning for the area expected to remain in place today.
Schools were closed and there were numerous accidents as snow hit Courier Country.
Residents woke up yesterday to see the white stuff in most areas of Tayside and Fife, with the A9 closed at 5.55am due to a jack-knifed lorry at Dalwhinnie.
The road eventually reopened at 8.30am.
Driving was tricky on several roads around Fife, including the M90 near Kelty.
Scores of children enjoyed a day off, with several schools in Perth and Kinross closing their doors.
Perth and Kinross Council confirmed Glenlyon Primary, Kinloch Rannoch Primary School Nursery and Kenmore Primary were all closed because of the weather.
Kinloch Rannoch Primary was open to local pupils only.
Fife and its roads was particularly hard-hit, with a five-mile stretch closed after two vehicles collided on the B9157 Orrock Quarry road at its junction with the A909.
It is understood a casualty was taken to hospital by ambulance after the accident outside Kirkcaldy just before 2pm, which involved a car and a van.
Firefighters used hydraulic cutting gear to free the casualty from one of the vehicles. Their condition was not revealed.
A five-mile stretch of the road was closed between the A909 junction and Peebles Street in Kirkcaldy.
There were also other multiple road collisions across Fife as the weather worsened.
Motorists on the A921 Burntisland to Aberdour Road encountered problems, with reports of a bus and cars stuck on the brae into Aberdour.
Meanwhile, six vehicles were involved in a collision on Formonthills Road in Glenrothes at around 11.45am.
The accident happened on a steep gradient during icy conditions but there were no reports of any injuries.
Fife’s Chief Superintendent Colin Gall advised people to stay put if possible
He tweeted: “Only travel where absolutely essential to do so. Keep yourself and others safe.”
Meanwhile, in Perthshire, a woman was rescued by firefighters and paramedics after a 4x4 skidded off a road in snowy conditions.
She had to be removed from the vehicle after the crash on the A85 Perth to Crianlarich road at Auchlone Lodge, near Crieff, at about 1.10pm.
A fire and rescue spokeswoman said: “It is a one vehicle road traffic collision. There was one female casualty. The driver wasn’t physically trapped but required paramedics.
“One female driver was assisted by paramedics in the vehicle. Firefighters assisted paramedics transferring the casualty out of the vehicle.”
The woman’s injuries were described as minor.
Angus missed the worst of the snow but there were a few flurries during midmorning and in the afternoon.
Forfar and Brechin had some cover but in many places where snow did fall, it disappeared again just as quickly.
Some took to social media to welcome the snow while it lasted, with one person saying they saw blue skies and sunshine yesterday afternoon until they hit “white Brechin”.
Traffic Scotland said 148 gritters were out on Scottish roads overnight Monday/ Tuesday to cope with the expected snowfalls.
The work continued throughout the day on Tuesday, when the task of keeping Courier Country safe fell to the likes of the Winter Explorer, Gritallica and the one and only Gritty Gritty Bang Bang.
The Bear Scotland lorries were out on the A9 yesterday as part of a large fleet of gritters on duty in Tayside and Fife.
They were named in a competition for schoolchildren run by Transport Scotland in 2015 and fans can keep track of their movements, as well as those of Sir Andy Flurry, Sir Salter Scott, Grittie McVittie and Salty Tom, on Traffic Scotland’s trunk road gritter tracker.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland’s Tayside Division advised motorists to be “wary” of road conditions.
“If you have a long drive ahead, take appropriate clothing and provisions with you,” he said.
Tulloch Bridge in Scotland had the largest snowfall ,with eight centimetres.
preoch@thecourier.co.uk