HEAVY snowfall caused traffic chaos in high lying parts of Inverclyde yesterday morning — and more wintry weather is expected today.

Yesterday’s whiteout caused gridlock in upper Port Glasgow as congestion built up during rush hour.

Major congestion was reported at the Kilmacolm Road/Arran Avenue junction and lengthy queues built up on the Clune Brae as drivers faced treacherous conditions.

Bob Neeson, an outreach handy man with the Murshiel Centre, said the Boglestone area was hit by a blizzard.

He said: “There were big tailbacks in Dubbs Road, it was like a sheet of ice.

“I was stuck in a 15-minute tailback between the Newark roundabout and the Clune Brae.” Heavy snow also stopped around 25 elderly people from getting to the Muirshiel Centre.

Clients are usually transported there by bus but it was decided on safety grounds not to risk the journey.

Elsewhere, icy conditions in Glenhuntly Road caused a collision between a car and a council snowplough at 10.30am, pictured top right.

A council spokesman said: “The back of the car appears to have skidded into the snow plough but there was no damage done.” Bus services were hampered by the conditions, with McGill’s reporting Burns Road, Bow Road, Grieve Road, Fancy Farm Road, Clynder Road, Kilcreggan View and Leven Road all impassable during the morning.

Council workers helped out after a bus became stuck and blocked part of Bawhirley Road, which was also out of bounds.

A number of Port services ran only as far as Boglestone for a time, with Devol impassable.

One road was closed after an articulated lorry became stranded off a single track road on Dougliehill Road as it headed towards Greenock.

Passer-by James McClumpha, 23, said: “I was driving up Kilmacolm Road taking the single track road to Devol then I came across the lorry. He was right off the road.” Constable Hazel Dale of Greenock police, said: “We had reports of a lorry blocking the road at around 8.39am and the road was closed until 1pm.” Meanwhile, day care services at Hillend Day Centre in the east end of Greenock were disrupted and staff at Alzheimer Scotland’s Resource Centre in Bow Farm decided not to bring in 12 clients who were due at the facility.

Marie McEleny, day care organiser, said: “We had to think of the safety of our vulnerable clients.

“We made sure they had someone at home to look after them and if that wasn’t the case we called home care services.” Council bosses say gritters were sent out on Monday night, throughout yesterday and they will continue to operate this morning.

Snowploughs have also been deployed to clear routes.

Refuse collection teams were hampered by the weather too - blue bin and food waste collections in the Port were suspended yesterday morning, along with black sack collections in parts of the town.

Black bin and food waste collections in the east end of Greenock have also been affected but the council says all other collections are up to date.

A spokesman added: “If your collection has been affected, please leave your bin(s) out by 7am each morning until they are emptied.” A Met Office ‘be prepared’ warning is in place for Inverclyde this morning, with more snow expected.