Travel report for Scotland - anyone ?

[JohnnyV]

Hi,
Anyone out there that can give me a true picture on how the snow is affecting area?
I am supposed to meet a customer in Preston tomorrow and then drive on up to Edinburgh for a meeting and some store audits - coming back to the Midlands on Friday.
What does the team think ? Is it worth the risk through The Borders and around Edinburgh - or would I be better to reschedule ?
Thanks in advance
Jon

 

[LMH]

Taken from the BBC site just now:
Blizzards cause huge delays of major Scottish roads

Traffic on the M8 queued for miles
Continue reading the main story Related stories

• At a glance: School closures in Scotland
• In pictures: Snow on snow

Early morning blizzard conditions across central Scotland led to massive tailbacks on major roads.
On the M8 motorway, traffic queued for more than 20 miles from Newhouse in North Lanarkshire to the outskirts of Edinburgh.
There were also long queues on the M8 into Glasgow.
Hundreds of schools have closed for the second day and Edinburgh Airport due to reopen at noon, following its closure on Monday.
The UK has been experiencing the earliest widespread snowfall since 1993.
Temperatures reached a low of -13C in Inverness overnight, with forecasters predicting that daytime temperatures would struggle to get past zero due to the bitter wind chill.
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I'd reschedule if I were you. We're stranded in Lincolnshire at the moment and we just want to go home.

Lisa

 

[JohnnyV]

Thanks Lisa - yes commonsense says 'don't do it' - its just I hate having to change plans (customers, Hotels etc.), I was hoping someone from E'burgh would say actually its improving all the time and anyway the main roads are running fine !
Guess I am really clutching at straws
Hope you get away OK - I am in Daventry and we had about 1" of the White stuff last night but roads seem to be fairly alright.
Jon

 

[LMH]

Severe (Edinburgh Fife and East Scotland)

• 
  Show On Map
  Traffic Incident
  
  A912
  A912 Gateside, both ways between A91 Main Road and M90 J9
  
  A912 Fife - A912 closed in both directions between the A91 Main Road junction in Gateside and Muirmont in Bridge Of Earn, because of a fallen tree.
  Updated 19 minutes ago

Help Medium

• 
  Show On Map
  Traffic Incident
  
  A1
  A1 Haddington, southbound at A6093 Dunbar Road
  
  A1 East Lothian - An earlier lane closure and heavy traffic earlier on A1 southbound in Haddington at Abbotsview Junction, because of an earlier broken down lorry.
  Cleared Updated 8 minutes ago
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  Show On Map
  Traffic Incident
  
  A90
  A90 Forth Road Bridge Forth Road Bridge, both ways between A8000 and B981
  
  A90 City Of Edinburgh - Snow on A90 Forth Road Bridge in Forth Road Bridge between Echline Roundabout and Inverkeithing. Matrix sign set to 20 mph.
  Updated 19 minutes ago
• 
  Show On Map
  Traffic Incident
  
  A92
  A92 Dunfermline, both ways between M90 J3 and B946
  
  A92 Fife - Hazardous driving conditions on A92 between Halbeath in Dunfermline and the B946 junction in Newport-On-Tay, because of snow.
  Updated 31 minutes ago
• 
  Show On Map
  Traffic Incident
  
  B8046
  B8046 Ecclesmachan Road Uphall, both ways between A899 West Main Street and B9080
  
  B8046 West Lothian - B8046 Ecclesmachan Road in Uphall closed in both directions between the A899 West Main Street junction and the B9080 junction, because of fallen power cables.
  Updated 54 minutes ago

 

[Guest]

Although the main roads in and around Edinburgh are passable the situation is very fluid, and as the last snow showers have seen 6 inches or more landing at a time, things can go bad quickly. However, the main block point for your trip is possibly Berwick as this area has seen the worst of the snow. However, the A702 from the M74 to Edinburgh is open as buses from Dumfries are arriving in Edinburgh on time so going up the west side may be a better bet. Within the city main roads are all passable but residential side roads may have a foot or more of snow.However, as others have mentioned, if there is no absolute necessity to make the trip, then don't. I am sure your schedule can be re-scheduled and accepted by all parties.

 

[JohnnyV]

Hi Scotch Lad
I think the last part is sound advice - I have just emailed my customer to see if we can reschedule, trouble is I get a load of stick at work for having a 4x4 and of course now get comments like 'you shouldn't get stuck' and 'its only a bit of snow' - I have to point out that even if I had caterpillar tracks it wouldn't make any difference if the cars in front get stuck and block the road.
Dependent upon tonights 'snow' I may just go to my appointment in Preston and then come home - I can see little point in a) adding to the congestion & b) possibly ending up with a bent car.
Thanks for the info though - if Ido have to come I will be sticking to the Motorways !
Cheers
Jon

 

[alisonmsm]

Don't travel up through the borders or M74 its a blizzard outside .

 

[JohnnyV]

Thank you Lanark Lass - I got to my meeting in Preston with no problems - however the travel news sounded bad further North & East so I rang my customer in E'burgh - none of the three buyers that I was scheduled to meet had made it in through the Snow so I figured that was enough to call it a day - I turned tail and headed home !
Just means that I will probably have to do it all next week
Thanks again
Jon