T in the Park music festival will go ahead despite monsoon weather

T in the Park organisers have reassured fans the festival will go ahead despite the monsoon weather experienced across Scotland.

The country was battered with torrential downpours on Wednesday night and the forecast does not look much better for the weekend.

But the country's biggest music festival is still set to go ahead.

Campers started to arrive at the site at Balado, Perth and Kinross, on Thursday. A record-breaking crowd of around 85,000 people is expected.

A festival spokeswoman said: "The T in the Park site is in good condition and we're looking forward to welcoming record numbers of T in the Park fans for an another amazing weekend.

"We plan ahead in close consultancy with the MET office so we are prepared onsite to deal with all weather conditions should the need arise. As always, we ask people to read the Essentials Guide on the website and bring suitable clothing for all eventualities – whether that be rain or shine.

"Fans should plan their journeys well in advance and follow our Facebook and Twitter accounts for event updates on the lead up to and throughout the weekend. See you all very soon."

The line up for the weekend includes a diverse mix of musicians including classical violinist Nicola Benedetti, Snow Patrol, The Stone Roses and Kasabian.

Tayside Police's superintendent Rick Dunkerley, the event's commander said: "Tayside Police is delighted to have been involved with T in the Park throughout the years and, in common with festival goers, it is an event that police officers and staff look forward to assisting with each summer. T in the Park is undoubtedly one of the world's finest music festivals and that is thanks in no small part to the strong working relationships that have been forged between Tayside Police and DF Concerts, as well as the many other partners.

"The size and scale of the event demands that we invest in many months of planning and preparation to ensure that the huge numbers of people attending the event enjoy it to the full. With 30,000 people arriving on Thursday and capacity building to 85,000 within the arena throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the festival is not only one of the biggest and the best, but also one of the safest.

"In 2011, levels of crime were low and arrests down on the previous year. There was an increase in drugs seizures which highlighted that drugs, and indeed crime in general, will not be tolerated at T in the Park. Our police officers and the event stewards will be visible at the venue and I want to emphasise to revellers that they are approachable and available.

"For those coming to the event be prepared. That doesn't just mean being equipped for all weathers and other eventualities. It also means taking time to suss out your route to the event and also finding your bearings when you get there."

As Scotland has been battered with rain events across the country have been cancelled including Perth Races on Wednesday and Thursday and Luss Highland Games and Haddington Show on Saturday. Last weekend's Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace was also called off due to the weather.

On Wednesday commuters in the central belt experienced severe delays and service cancellations after heavy rain caused flooding on major roads in Edinburgh and Glasgow and brought some train lines to a standstill.

The whole of the capital's bypass was affected by wet weather, with the worst flooding between Hermiston Gait and Baberton. Motorists were advised to plan for delays of up to 45 minutes on the route, with rush hour traffic expected to worsen conditions.

On the M8, flash flooding near the Showcase Leisure Park in Coatbridge has caused a traffic slowdown in eastbound and westbound directions. There are also reports of flooding on Sarason Street and Switchback Road.

Glasgow's Queen Street Station was closed for several hours but has since reopened. However, some services are still experiencing delays after a landslip at Milngavie and a tree on the line at Bearsden.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning across much of central Scotland for Thursday, including Fife, the Lothians and Borders, telling the public to be aware of heavy downpours and resulting surface flooding.

On Thursday morning much of the east coast was covered with thick fog affecting motorists in Edinburgh, Fife and Dundee.

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