Amber rain warning
Motorists are being warned to expect difficult driving conditions in the south east of Scotland with heavy rain forecast by the Met Office.
An amber warning for rain has been issued for East Lothian, parts of Midlothian and eastern areas in the Scottish Borders, from midnight on Thursday (13/06) through to late afternoon. A yellow rain warning will cover most of the south east of Scotland for the same timescale.
The conditions are likely to bring reduced visibility and potential for surface water on the trunk road network. Other modes of transport could also be affected.
The Multi-Agency Response Team, based at the National Traffic Control Centre in South Queensferry, will be stood up for the duration of the warning to monitor conditions and help deploy response teams where necessary.
Transport Scotland’s Resilience Room will also be in operation throughout the day, and our Operating Company will be carrying out inspections of culverts and flooding hotspots, as well as mobilising equipment, ahead of the warnings coming into effect.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said:
“The Met Office is warning of heavy rain, particularly in East Lothian and parts of the Scottish Borders, for most of the day on Thursday, so travellers should expect some disruption on the trunk road network.
“The rain will likely lead to difficult driving conditions, so I’d urge travellers to plan their journey ahead, drive to the conditions and follow Police Scotland travel advice.
“Motorists should check with Traffic Scotland before they set off to make sure that their route is available. The Traffic Scotland mobile website - my.trafficscotland.org - lets people get the latest information on the move and the Traffic Scotland twitter page is also updated regularly.
“The conditions are also likely to lead to disruption on other modes of transport, so travellers should check with their operators before they set out.”
Chief Inspector Mark Patterson said:
"The Met Office has issued an Amber Weather Warning for rain in the East Lothian Council, Midlothian Council and Scottish Borders Council areas, all part of South East Scotland.
“As such, our advice for motorists in these regions is to travel with caution.
“Driving conditions may be hazardous and extra caution should be exercised when travelling as heavy rain is likely to cause some travel disruption and flooding.
“If you are travelling you should ensure you and your vehicle are adequately prepared for the conditions. Charge your mobile phone and plan your route as well as alternative routes.
“Listen to media broadcasts especially local radio and Traffic Scotland Radio or visit www.trafficscotland.org. For public transport information visit www.travelinescotland. Follow @policescotland and @trafficscotland on Twitter for regular and up to date travel information."
Marc Becker, Flood Duty Manager for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said:
“Persistent and heavy rainfall is expected to head into south-east Scotland on Wednesday night continuing into Thursday morning resulting in a risk of surface water and river flooding impacts.
“The rainfall is expected to be heaviest over high ground in East Lothian and eastern areas of the Scottish Borders. This may result in travel disruption and flooding of properties and infrastructure in these areas.
“SEPA is working 24/7 to monitor rainfall and river levels, and is in close contact with the Met Office and other partners to review the forecasts and flood warnings. The rainfall is currently expected to spread westwards during Thursday turning lighter later in the day.
“We encourage members of the public to remain vigilant and take care when travelling in south-east Scotland due to the risk of flooding impacts. The most up-to-date flood messages are always available on Floodline.sepa.org.uk and via our Floodline service on 0345 988 1188.
“People can also report and check flooding impacts in their area using Report-a-Flood at floodlinescotland.org.uk/report-a-flood.”