Police have told Scottish drivers to be prepared for “severe delays” this evening, and urged people not to drive if they can avoid it.
A Met Office amber warning for “severe and persistent snow” in southern and central parts of the country comes into effect at 9pm and remains in place until Thursday at 5am.
Tayside and Fife are among the few areas of Scotland to avoid the amber warning area, however a yellow alert for snow and ice is in place from 4pm until 11am on Thursday.
Spate of crashes, schools closed and hundreds of drivers stranded due to snow and ice
The areas where the weather is expected to have the worst impact on traffic are East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, West Lothian, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire
Police have warned anyone taking to the roads on Wednesday evening is “likely to experience severe delays of several hours or more”.
Officers have warned that congestion could “restrict” access to emergency, recovery and winter maintenance vehicles.
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/uk-world/581163/mountain-rescuers-called-in-to-help-stranded-motorists-amid-heavy-snowfall/
Police Scotland’s head of road policing, Chief Superintendent Stewart Carle, said: “Weather conditions over the last few days have been extremely challenging, and this forecast of even more extreme conditions over the next day or so in these areas mean that we have to advise drivers to avoid travelling, and if they do, to expect severe delays of several hours or more.
“We urge people to think very seriously as to whether their journey is really necessary and is worth the risk, and if they decide they really have to travel, to be fully prepared to be self resilient. If you need medication for example, ensure you have it with you.
⚠️ Do you live in the areas that will be affected by the AMBER SNOW warning❓
Avoid Travelling On The Roads from 9pm TONIGHT (Wed 17th) until 5am TOMO morning (Thurs 18th)
If you do travel, you'll experience severe delays of several hours!@transcotland @policescotland pic.twitter.com/RqtojvNYj6
— Traffic Scotland (@trafficscotland) January 17, 2018
“No-one should ever place themselves at risk on the road and it may be worth considering postponing your journey or making alternative arrangements such as delaying travel until conditions improve or using public transport.
“If you are travelling on the roads you should ensure you and your vehicle are adequately prepared for the conditions, making sure you have sufficient fuel and supplies such as warm clothing, food and water in the event you are delayed for several hours.
“Charge your mobile phone and plan your route as well as alternative routes. Listen to media broadcasts, especially local radio, and visit the Traffic Scotland website.”
It comes after a string of crashes took place across Tayside and Fife on Wednesday morning, with traffic heavy on the roads and bus services impacted.
And the weather was so bad that people were forced to spend Tuesday evening in their vehicles on the M74.
