School closures and more travel disruption for Ayrshire as weather warnings upgraded

Police are warning people against all but essential travel tonight. (Wednesday 17th January)

Met Office weather warnings have been upgraded to Amber “be prepared” across Ayrshire.

Dozens of schools have been closed across the region, while roads and public transport have also been disrupted.

East Ayrshire Council has already advised that all of its schools will be closed again on Thursday 18th January 2018.

Scotland's transport minister Humza Yousaf told MSPs at Holyrood that following a new Met Office amber warning for Wednesday evening, Police Scotland were upgrading their travel warning from stage three to a stage four.

He said: “That in practice means that all travel should be avoided on those parts of the trunk road affected by the amber warning, namely south and south-west Scotland for the duration of the amber warning.''

Police Scotland closed parts of the M74 in both directions due to wintry conditions for a number of hours overnight. The road later reopened.

Mountain rescue teams were drafted in to check on drivers on the motorway overnight, many of whom were stuck in their vehicles for several hours.

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has apologised to those stranded in their vehicles overnight.

Sam Sykes, a surveyor from Biggar, South Lanarkshire, said he was stuck on the M74 for around 12 hours - from 6pm on Tuesday until around 5.30am on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old was travelling from Dalry in Ayrshire to Biggar after work.

He said: “The length of time, the cold and the uncertainty of when it would start again was the worst part.''

The Met Office amber warning advises that travel disruption is likely, with a risk that some vehicles may be stranded.

The warning, which runs from 9pm on Wednesday until 5am on Thursday, says that 3-8cm of fresh snow is likely to accumulate widely, with up to 20cm over high ground.

Yellow “be aware'' warnings of snow and ice for much of the country are valid until Friday