Fair City is safe port in a snow storm

Dec 10 2010 by Denis Brown, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

Dear Editor, – A car-load of us, in common with hundreds of others, were stuck in Perth on November 28, when both the A9 and M90 were closed. We set off from Inverurie, bound for Ayr, at 10am on Sunday morning and made it to Dundee by noon through snow and thunder and lightning.

Neither the radio traffic reports nor, more importantly, the overhead gantries, gave us any warning of problems in the Perth area.

We then took eight and a half hours to cover the next 20 miles to Perth, when we finally learned from a policeman positioned at the Friarton Bridge of the road closures. We then had the option of either returning to Dundee or going into Perth to a refuge centre which had been set up.

The centre was warm and comfortable and well organised and we want to pass on our sincere thanks to all of those who made our overnight stay as comfortable as possible.

From the marshals and police organising, as well as those providing foil sheets, pillows and toiletries, to the WRVS serving hot drinks etc, the hundreds of us at the centre were all well catered for. A BIG thank you to Perth for your hospitality.

Not such a big thank you to those who communicate problems on the road – updates on the gantries would at least have given those coming from the Aberdeen area an option to travel south over the Tay Road Bridge!

Garry Ward, via email.