Weather-beaten Edinburgh Battles Back to Normality

Submitted by edg on Thu, 9 Dec '10 8.11am

Three days after Scotland's "perfect storm" (as Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson has dubbed Monday's transport network seizure), conditions look to be getting better.

After the ice, snow, and abandoned vehicles had been cleared along the 20-mile section of M8  between Hermiston Gate (Junction 1) and Shotts (Junction 5), the motorway re-opened yesterday afternoon. 

Roads and Edinburgh's pavements may still favour those wearing boards or blades on their feet. But at least temperatures - after the recent bitter cold - are warming with the Met Office's forecast that temperatures in Edinburgh will rise over the next few days to 2C, 3C and even 4C by Sunday.

We also heard yesterday that the Army is being deployed to clear ice and snow from Edinburgh streets.

Trains are still not back to normal - trains don't cope well in the extreme cold as we learned at the weekend - so travellers should check ahead.

There are cancellations on many Scotrail services: between Edinburgh and Dunblane, Edinburgh and Perth, Edinburgh and Bathgate, Edinburgh and Dundee, and Glasgow Central and Edinburgh via Shotts.

Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh is on a reduced service until 7pm (every half hour, calling at Croy, Falkirk High, Polmont, Linlithgow and Haymarket).

The Edinburgh/Aberdeen service is also on a reduced service.

Keep an eye on the situation with the weather updates and Edinburgh Transport links.