Police Scotland downgrade travel advice

20 January 2018, 10:12

Motorists are being urged to be wary of ice on the roads after disruption in areas hit by snow this week.

A Met Office yellow "be aware" warning for ice was in place for Saturday morning across much of Scotland, Northern Ireland, the north of England, Yorkshire and the Midlands.

It comes after police on Friday urged people only to travel if absolutely necessary in areas covered by the higher amber advisories for snow and ice.

Police Scotland downgraded its travel advice from stage three to stage two on Saturday, meaning that people should still travel with caution and that conditions for road travel "may be hazardous".

Drivers were urged to plan ahead for their journey and expect possible travel delays in the warning areas of Central, Tayside and Fife, the Highlands, the Western and Northern Isles, south west Scotland, the Lothians, Borders and Strathclyde.

A force spokesman said: "If using public transport, please check with the provider before you leave to see if there is any disruption or cancellation to services.

"We are also advising people to plan ahead over the weekend. If you're out during the evening and planning on drinking alcohol, make sure you have your journey home organised.

"Book a taxi in advance and keep up to date with transport providers to ensure services are running."

The Met Office ice warning for Saturday morning cautioned that some sleet and snow showers would continue in places.

"There will probably be ice on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, potentially resulting in some injuries from slips and falls," it stated.

On Friday, members of the public were urged to stay off the roads, with weather warnings covering much of the country.

Dozens of schools around Scotland were closed while some shut early due to the weather.

On Tuesday night, more than 200 motorists were stranded overnight on the M74 as heavy snow and ice caused treacherous driving conditions.