9am Briefing: Surprise snowfall causes road chaos

THIS morning's surprise snowfall caused chaos on the roads with several weather related collisions and breakdowns.

A woman had to be freed from her car after her vehicle overturned following a collision near Bathgate.

The collision happened on the A801, at Balmuir Road, shortly after 7.20am.

The woman was cut free by fire crews but did not require hospital treatment.

Shortly after there was a five-car pile up on the B6372 Pomathorn Road, near Penicuik.

No one was injured but the pile-up caused severe traffic problems.

At around 8am two vehicles were involved in a collision on the M9. The vehicles were quickly removed from the carriageway, minimising traffic disruption. No one was injured.

Finally, road crews were called to a broken down vehicle on the A701.

A police spokesman confirmed that all of the incidents appear to have been weather related.

RBS in bonus row

ROYAL Bank of Scotland is set to allow top performers to collect large cash bonuses despite a political and public backlash about bank pay.

RBS' complicated pay deal will see staff paid their bonuses

in shares, as the Government wants – but then convert a large portion into cash within just 12 weeks.

In the letter RBS admits that the pay deal is "unlikely to please everyone" but pleads for understanding from shareholders that it is a "well-intentioned attempt to reach an acceptable position for most parties".

Profits slump at BP

ENERGY giant BP said today that annual profits almost halved as the effect of lower oil prices took its toll.

The UK company reported a surplus of 8.75 billion in the year to December 31, down 45 per cent on 2008.

The company reduced headcount staff numbers by 3,000 in 2008 with another 5,000 jobs shed last year, amid estimated cost savings of 2.5bn.