Park and slide

DESPITE efforts to limit disruption to transportation links, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, like the rest of the country, has been badly hit by the winter weather.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson called it the "worst snow and ice conditions in the early winter since the 1960s" and indeed the entire country ground to a virtual standstill as its resources were taxed to the limit trying to keep roads open. This grim situation was reflected locally with the area becoming virtually cut off from the rest of the country.

Traffic delays were significant.

On Tuesday morning, a jacknifed lorry caused major disruption going in both directions on the A80 M80 between Crowwood Roundabout and the A803 Kilsyth Road.

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If it was difficult to get in or out of Cumbernauld by road, it was impossible by rail. Train operator Scotrail cancelled all services between Cumbernauld and Glasgow or Falkirk, and due to the poor driving conditions did not provide any replacement bus service.

These poor road conditions also crippled bus services. FirstBus announced they were down to a single service to Cumbernauld, the X80, and that was running on a "very limited" basis. No services at all were being operated elsewhere to or from anywhere else in Lanarkshire or Kirkintilloch.

Emergency services continue to warn would-be travellers and local residents alike to exercise extreme caution in these conditions, and to travel only when vital.