Police Scotland is advising drivers and pedestrians that following a Met Office Amber Warning (Be Prepared) for a band of heavy freezing rain which is likely to hit many parts of Scotland and the north of England tomorrow, Saturday 16 December 2018, that there is a HIGH risk of disruption for road journeys across Dumfries and Galloway.
The Met Office warns of a band of heavy freezing rain which is expected during Saturday and through into Sunday morning. This freezing rain is expected to develop into the rapid development of widespread ice, which will in turn create dangerous travelling conditions. The following are some of the effects that these conditions might bring about:-
- Possible travel delays on roads stranding some vehicles and passengers
- Possible delays or cancellations to rail and air travel
- Some rural communities could become cut off
- Power cuts may occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected
- A chance of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces
- Bus and train services may be delayed or cancelled, with some road closures and longer journey times possible
- Untreated pavements and cycle paths might be impassable because of black ice
Chief Inspector Stuart Davidson, Dumfriesshire Area Commander for Police Scotland said “clearly the region, in line with other parts of the country are in for some severe weather with this freezing rain having the effect that when it hits the ground, it immediately turns to ice. We are issuing this warning at this stage to make sure that on one of the busiest Saturday’s in the year, the public are able to make an informed decision about planning for their journeys, by whatever means, over Saturday and into Sunday. I would urge everyone to take heed of weather and travel warnings from whichever source they can in order that they carefully understand the dangers that this icy blast will bring. There is a real likelihood that that if travelling, by whatever means, you may experience significant delays. Likewise even if out walking on the footpaths and pavements we are urging extreme caution because of the slippy and dangerous conditions that this freezing rain is likely to bring.
“At this stage, along with other partners across the region we are starting to put important travel messages out to the community, whist gearing up to deal with the effects that this weather could bring over the next 36 hours or so. It is expected that DGVOST will be activated from 9am on Saturday morning in order to support the warning and messaging that goes out to the public.”
