Police warn drivers against travelling during Storm Bert amid snow and ice alert

Police are warning drivers to consider if their journey is necessary and to take extra precaution on the roads during Storm Bert.

The Met Office said the storm is expected to bring “heavy rain, strong winds and disruptive snow to parts of the UK through the weekend” and warned of travel disruption and potential flooding.

An amber weather warning and several yellow alerts have been issued – with as much as 40cm of snow to fall on higher ground.

On Friday, dozens of schools and nurseries in the Highlands were forced to close while a number delayed openings.

Ann Street in Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire was closed by police after a crash involving multiple vehicles in icy conditions.

The amber alert covers Angus, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, Aberdeenshire, Highland and Argyll and Bute.

Perth and Kinross council announced its Christmas lights switch-on event this weekend was cancelled due to concerns over public safety.

Drivers are being asked to consider if journeys are necessary and to weigh up delaying their travel.

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Superintendent Vinnie Fisher, deputy head of Road Policing, said: “All road users should consider if they really need to travel in adverse weather.

“When driving on ice and snow, keep well back from the road user in front. Stopping distances can be up to ten times greater than on dry roads.

“Check your windscreen washer levels and ensure your windows are completely clear before driving. Failure to do so can result in a fine.

“Listen to media broadcasts for updates, follow Transport Scotland and the Met Office on social media and share information with others.”

First Minister John Swinney urged members of the public to follow weather warnings “especially on Saturday”.

Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The Met Office is warning us that Storm Bert will bring a period of challenging weather this weekend, with an amber warning for snow and ice issued for parts of Central Scotland on Saturday, and yellow warnings for snow, ice and wind in place for large parts of the country.

“The conditions will likely cause difficult driving conditions and disruption to the wider transport network, so it’s important that anyone that has to travel during the warning period plans their journey ahead of time.

“You should plan your route in advance, drive to the conditions and follow Police Scotland travel advice. There may be disruption on other modes of transport, so you should check with your operators before setting off if you’re planning to travel by rail, ferry or air.”

Some train journeys may take longer than normal and passengers are being urged to plan ahead as the storm brings amber and yellow weather warnings to most of the UK. 

Gusts of up to 65mph are expected to hit the Stranraer line with winds of between 30 and 35 mph due to blow across other parts of the country. 

Some areas including Abington-Beattock, on the West Coast Mainline, and Arrochar-Tyndrum, on the West Highland Line, could see snowfall of up to 15-25cm as well as blizzard conditions.  A rapid thaw is then expected in the southwest during Saturday afternoon which could also lead to flooding. 

Ross Moran, route director, Network Rail Scotland, said: “Storm Bert will bring extreme weather that will impact some services in Scotland.

“To keep passengers and colleagues safe, we need to slow trains down on several lines across the country from first thing on Saturday.

“In the meantime, our engineers are carrying out extra checks in areas known to be at risk from the elements. We’ll have more staff than normal on duty to remove fallen trees and debris from the track, as well as to tackle frost and flooding.

“Some journeys will take longer than normal and we advise passengers to plan ahead. We will remove speed restrictions as soon as we can and we thank passengers for their patience.”

Storm Bert: Heavy downpours across the country this weekend

Named Storm Bert, an alert for heavy rain and snow comes into force over Saturday and Sunday across 27 council areas.

Forecasters say heavy snow will be followed by a “rapid thaw and subsequent rain” on Saturday night which could cause travel disruption.

The Met Office forecasts difficult travelling conditions as well as the potential for power cuts, loss of mobile services and strandings.

A yellow warning for rain and snow, covering most of Scotland and the rest of the UK, is in force from 4am on Saturday. Heavy snow, followed by a rapid thaw and subsequent rain on Saturday night, may cause disruption, the Met Office said.

At 5am on Saturday, a yellow wind warning comes into force as Storm Bert touches down in Scotland, bringing gusts of up to 70mph and causing disruption in places. Areas around the coast are forecast to be worst affected.

An amber snow and ice warning in the central Highlands will see heavy snowfall and travel disruption from 7am until 5pm on Saturday.

Snow and ice causes week of disruption

Large parts of Scotland have faced disruption to travel, schools forced to close and difficult road conditions since this week with multiple Met Office alerts issued.

A bus overturned in Aberdeenshire and a man died in a crash involving four vehicles on the A9.

On Wednesday, a car burst into flames on the A96 near Inverurie and a lorry jack-knifed on the A9 at Daviot in the Highlands forcing roads to be closed.

On Thursday, more than 30 schools were closed across Aberdeenshire while Inverness Royal Academy, Inverness High School and Charleston Academy were also shut.

Stagecoach buses confirmed all services across Inverness were suspended due to road conditions.

Gritters have been out in force amid weather warnings for snow and ice with the coldest temperature recorded overnight on Tuesday being -11.2C in Braemar.

Insight Sean Batty STV News Meteorologist

The cold weather is set to last a few more days before a dramatic change to much milder conditions at the weekend.

Wednesday night will be another very cold one with low of -8C in a few spots of central and southern Scotland, while wintry showers and icy weather continues to affect northern areas. Overnight slightly less cold ait will turn the snow in northern parts to more of a mix of rain and sleet, but snow will continue at higher levels.

On Thursday some wintry weather will move down the western side of the country with rain and sleet across the Highlands, Argyll and Bute, Glasgow, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and Ayrshire. This will fall as snow over higher areas meaning the likes of Uplawmoor and East Kilbride could see some wet slushy snow settling on the grass.

A big change comes on Saturday, with gales arriving around coastal areas and across the islands as milder weather moves north. There will also be a spell of heavy rain, which will initially fall as snow over high ground, although even here, it’s likely to turn more sleety as the warmer air moves in. By Saturday evening, temperatures could be back to the low teens across the Inner Hebrides, Ayrshire, Dumfries, and Galloway—quite a shift from the low figures of the last few days.

Early next week colder air comes back south, but doesn’t look like it will last very long and won’t be as wintry as this spell has been for the north of the country.

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