Resilience room updated on impacts of snowfall
The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGORR) convened yesterday to discuss ongoing efforts to recover from the recent heavy snow in northern Scotland and preparations for further snow and ice warnings.
The meeting was chaired by Justice Secretary Angela Constance and attended by First Minister John Swinney, Cabinet Secretaries, the Met Office, transport operators, Police Scotland, local authorities, resilience partnerships and utilities companies.
First Minister John Swinney has asked people to continue to follow advice on staying safe in winter and thanked those involved in supporting others.
Mr Swinney said yesterday: “The cumulative impact of the heavy snowfall across northern Scotland has been significant and there has been a huge effort to keep transport moving and public services open.
“At present, there is still some travel disruption but trunk roads are open and rail, ferry and air services are working to get back to normal as quickly as possible. Likewise many schools are closed today but remote learning is in place for young people, while contingency plans are in place for affected health and social care services.
“There will be further snow and ice, with yellow warnings in large parts of Scotland and temperatures set to remain cold, so impacts will continue to be felt in the coming days which could include transport problems and I would encourage everyone to plan ahead, look out for each other and pay close attention to the range of weather and travel advice available.
“I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard, day and night, to keep Scotland open and moving. Public services have been collaborating well in sharing information and vehicles, while I have heard of truly exceptional efforts by farmers, volunteers and members of the public offering to clear local roads, dig out cars and keep people safe. That community spirit is truly heartening to hear.
“Ministers will continue to keep the situation under review.”
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said: “Local resilience partnerships are continuing to meet to co-ordinate and deliver the response to disruption experienced by communities in the north and north east of Scotland following heavy snowfall over the weekend.
“We have been working closely with resilience partners across local authorities, other emergency service partners, transport partners, NHS and health and social care partnerships, and other local organisations to support communities affected by adverse weather and keep public services open where possible.
“Some services may be impacted by adverse weather, and I would encourage the public to check on neighbours or relatives, if they are able to do so safely.
“Heavy snow and ice means driving conditions are likely to continue to be hazardous in some areas. Our advice is to plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary.
“If you need to travel, please fully clear your vehicle windows of snow and ice before you drive, drive to the conditions, be prepared for delays and allow extra time for your journey.”
Met Office weather warnings are available on the Met Office website.
Flood alerts are issued by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and can be viewed on their website.
Advice on preparing for severe weather can be found on the Ready Scotland website.
