Transport networks get plans in place

Those responsible for the country’s transport networks have said planning is under way ahead of the arrival of Storm Babet.

Heavy downpours and severe winds are forecast for much of central and northern Scotland from Thursday morning through to Saturday night.

The Met Office has warned Storm Babet will likely mean delays and disruption on roads, rail and ferries over the next few days, with high-sided vehicles on exposed routes particularly at risk.

A spokesperson for the Met Office confirmed a high-impact‘Amber’ warning for rain covering parts of Stirling, Perthshire, Aviemore, Moray, Angus, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City is in place from 6am on Thursday until around 6pm on Friday – although the advice is subject to continual review.

Stein Connelly, from Transport Scotland, said:“We recently witnessed some of the most severe weather in Scotland since the 1890s, and another wave of challenging conditions is expected this week.

“I would again ask the public to plan ahead and be prepared. Check before your travel as your journey is likely to be affected by these latest severe weather warnings – whether by foot, bike, car, rail or ferry.

“The multi-agency response team will be in operation to monitor conditions and co-ordinate our response, however, the public can play a key role by delaying their journey, where appropriate.

“Latest Police Scotland advice is to expect a high risk of disruption, however, this could change over the next 24 hours, so please check the Traffic Scotland and Police Scotland social media updates and local radio bulletins for the very latest updates.”

Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, who is head of the nationwide force’s road policing unit, said:“Our advice is to plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary or if it can be delayed until conditions improve.

“Stopping distances can be at least double on wet roads compared to dry conditions, and spray can reduce driver visibility.

“If you need to travel, please drive to the conditions, be prepared for delays and allow extra time for your journey.”

Phil Campbell, a customer operations director with railway firm ScotRail, said:“The Met Office has issued weather warnings from Thursday through to Saturday, with an‘Amber’warning for heavy rain across eastern Scotland, and‘Yellow’ warnings for heavy rain and high winds in central and northern Scotland.

“We’ll continue to monitor the forecast, and teams will be working around the clock to deal with any weather-related incidents. Our first priority is always to ensure the safety of our staff and customers.

“We ask customers who are planning to travel to keep an eye on our website, app or social media feeds for live updates.”