Travellers in Scotland are being warned to expect disruption after the Met Office issued an amber warning for high winds early on Hogmanay. There is currently no threat to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations, however.
The amber warning is in place for parts of Argyll, the Ayrshires and much of Dumfries and Galloway, coming into effect early on Sunday morning (31st Dec) and lasting until lunchtime. A yellow warning for high winds has also been issued for the Central, Tayside and Fife areas.
Gusts are expected to reach up to 80mph in places and this likely to have an impact on ferry and air travel. The trunk road network is also likely to be affected with the potential for restrictions on bridges, especially for high-sided vehicles.
Separately, a yellow warning for ice has been issued for much of the north of Scotland, lasting from Saturday afternoon (30th Dec) until late Sunday morning.
Traffic Scotland is fully operational at the National Traffic Control Centre and will be providing updates on social media, website and radio broadcasts throughout the period and people are being asked to check the latest information before they travel.
The Multi Agency Response Team (MART) will be operational from midnight, whilst the Scottish Government’s Resilience operation (SGoRR) is also closely monitoring the situation.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said: “The Met Office has told us that high winds are set to impact the south of Scotland on Hogmanay morning, as Storm Dylan moves across from Northern Ireland.
“The strongest winds are expected around the south west and clyde coast from early tomorrow morning. Gusts of 55-65mph are expected quite widely, with some reaching up to 80mph in the worst affected areas.
“It’s highly likely that these conditions will cause disruption to transport and it’s important people take the weather into account if they are planning to travel by road, train, ferry and air.
“There is potential for debris on the trunk road network, as well as bridge restrictions, so drivers should check the most up-to-date information before they start their journey, drive to the conditions and follow Police advice.
“Motorists should check Traffic Scotland before they set off to make sure that their route is available. The new Traffic Scotland mobile website – my.trafficscotland.org – lets people get the latest information on the move and @trafficscotland is updated regularly.
“It’s a similar message for people planning to travel by rail, ferry or plane – you should check with the operator ahead of time to find out if your service has been affected by the weather.
“It’s a time of year when many people will be travelling to spend time with their friends and families. I urge everyone who’s looking to travel tomorrow to plan their journey ahead of time in order to get to their destinations as quickly and safely as they can.”
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