Police travel advice following Amber warning for rain in north east and central Scotland

Police travel advice has been issued following an Amber weather warning for rain across north east and central Scotland.

The Met Office has issued an Amber weather warning for persistent and heavy rain affecting Angus, Perth and Kinross and Aberdeenshire. This warning is in place from 00:00 on Thursday, 22 January, until 18:00 the same day.

A Yellow warning for rain is also in place for parts of Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, Highlands, Eilean Siar, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.

Chief Superintendent Scott McCarren, Police Scotland’s Head of Road Policing, said: “The Amber warning for rain means there is a high risk of disruption on the road network and travel conditions may be hazardous.

“Motorists are therefore advised to take extra caution when driving and avoid non-essential travel until road conditions improve.

“If you do have to travel then plan ahead, and ensure both you and your vehicle are suitably equipped for the conditions you may face and be aware that the delays may result in you spending longer within your vehicle, so make sure your mobile phone is charged and you have plenty of fuel, warm clothing, food, and water.

“Please also pay attention to any road signage and warnings relating to flooded roads or surface water and do not try to access any routes that are closed because of the conditions.

“Stay tuned to media outlets for further updates and consult the Traffic Scotland website and social media channels for information relating to affected roads.”

Full details of the warning and what you should do can be found on the Met Office website.

Flooding
Information on flood alerts and warnings is available through the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. You can find more information on their website.

General advice for road users
• Plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel
• All road users should consider if they really need to travel during adverse weather.
• Consider delaying travel until conditions improve
• If you are travelling on the roads, prepare yourself and your vehicle for the conditions
• Drive to the conditions. Spray can reduce driver visibility.
• Be aware of increased stopping distances. In wet weather, stopping distances will be at least double those required for stopping on dry roads.
• Driving through areas of flooding can result in catastrophic damage to your vehicle. It may also result in the road becoming blocked with recovery required and may delay emergency services and road maintenance workers.
• Ensure your mobile phone is charged and plan your journey, including an alternative route
• Have sufficient fuel, warm clothing, food and water in case you’re delayed
• Do not ignore road closure signs – they are for your safety
• Congestion caused by vehicles may restrict emergency services and recovery vehicles from providing essential assistance
• Listen to media broadcasts, including radio, for updates Traffic Scotland radio player or visit Traffic Scotland Trunk road traffic updates & route planner
• Follow your local authority for the latest updates in your area via Facebook, X or their website.
• Other information can be found on the Met Office, Ready Scotland. For public transport information visit Traveline Scotland.