WE’RE READY TO PARTY
SCOTLAND GEARS UP FOR HOGMANAY HOOLEY
Scotland will be battered by 80mph winds today but organisers insisted Storm Dylan will not halt the country’s biggest street party.
Forecasters warn there could be severe travel disruption for revellers travelling to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay.
They also warned the high winds – expected to have calmed by 3pm – could blow dangerous debris around and gust tiles and masonry from roofs.
An amber warning for wind has been issued for parts of Strathclyde, Argyll, Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, while a yellow warning has been issued for Central Scotland, Tayside and Fife.
The Met Office has also warned people in the Highlands to be aware of ice lasting until late this morning.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf last night urged people to make sure they check travel conditions before setting off on journeys today, with the National Traffic Control Centre primed to provide updates via social media and radio throughout the day.
Drivers have been told to expect problems on trunk roads, with bridges likely to be closed to high-sided vehicles due to the wind speeds.
Mr Yousaf said: “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 mobile website – my.trafficscotland.org – lets people get the latest information on the move and @trafficscotland is updated regularly.
“It’s a time of year when many people will be travelling to spend time with their friends and families. I urge everyone to plan their journey ahead of time in order to get to their destinations as quickly and safely as they can.”
Despite the bad weather predictions, no Hogmanay celebrations have been called off so far with millions anticipated to be heading out in towns and cities across Scotland tonight. In Edinburgh, the celebrations got under way last night with a torchlight procession.
Anabel Garcia Barba, 22, a trainee teacher from Madrid, was among thousands enjoying the build-up with partner Juanvi Viana, 24. She said: “It’s cold but that isn’t affecting the party atmosphere. Everyone seems in good spirits. “I’m most looking forward to seeing the fireworks. Hogmanay in Edinburgh is famous all over the world.”
Today’s programme, including a children’s event starting at 5pm, is expected to go ahead despite the bad weather. Organisers Underbelly said: “Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is, as always, in constant contact with the Met Office receiving regular forecast updates specific to Edinburgh.
“The specific forecast produced for the Hogmanay celebrations by the Met Office considers all the latest data and provides the most likely scenario for Edinburgh City itself, through which we are reassured that the planned events and preparations will not be affected and that the celebrations will go ahead in full.”
The main street party, ceilidh and fireworks displays are expected to attract
more than 75,000 people, and bring in as much as £40m to the Scottish economy.
This year, for the first time, armed police will be patrolling streets of the capital and there will also be a two-mile radius no-fly zone imposed during the festivities – with drones and other aircraft banned from the city centre.
Officers supplied with carbines, pistols and tasers will be patrolling entrances at the 25th Edinburgh celebration, and people are warned their bags may be searched and to allow extra time for this to take place.
Chief MacDonald said officers will be “overtly” visible to partygoers for the first time – due to the current terrorist threat level, which remains “severe” throughout the UK.
He added that party-goers should not be alarmed, as there had been “no specific intelligence regarding a threat to the event”.
Elsewhere, organisers around the country were preparing for the festivities with no events called off yet, despite the weather.
Glasgow’s events, such as the Ashton Lane street party and club nights in Merchant City and the West End, are set to accommodate thousands looking to firstfoot in style.
In Inverness, the Red Hot Highland Fling will see music fans gather to dance into the night.
Revellers have been warned by police that any antisocial behaviour or criminality “will be dealt with robustly”, with Chief Inspector Colin Gough adding: “This will be an extremely busy night for everyone and I would ask people to plan their journey home afterwards and to make sure they look after family and friends.”
Aberdeen’s Schoolhill area will be transformed into a street party with live performances by a Beatles tribute band and Edinburgh bluegrass outfit Banjo Lounge 4 on an outdoor stage.
Fireworks will bring in the bells with the free event closing at around 12.15am.
The Comrie Flambeaux tradition in Perthshire will see the streets come alive with a torchlight procession tonight, while elsewhere in Perth restaurants and hotels will hold their own festivities. Many Dundee residents will first-foot at the Rep Theatre, which will hold its famous ceilidh for the third year in a row, while nightclubs are expecting to be busy with party-goers.
For those settling on sofas rather than going out, Jackie Bird presents BBC1 Scotland’s Hogmanay coverage from Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket.