Storm Eowyn: John Swinney says 'do not travel' as red alert issued for 'dangerous' 100mph winds for Scotland
A “do not travel” warning has been issued to millions of people across the Central Belt during a rare red extreme weather alert triggered by Storm Éowyn that has prompted widespread transport shutdowns and school closures.
First Minister John Swinney and police chiefs urged everyone to take the advice seriously and stay safe, with destructive wind gusts of up to 100mph forecast.
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Hide AdThe red alert will be in force from between 10am and 5pm on Friday across much of the Central Belt and southern Scotland as Storm Eowyn sweeps across the country.
The Met Office has warned of “very dangerous conditions”, with widespread disruption expected. The alert also covers Northern Ireland.
Hundreds of schools across the Central Belt and beyond, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Lothians, Fife, Falkirk and Stirling, will be closed on Friday.
ScotRail has cancelled all 2,200 of its services, with CalMac suspending every sailing on its west coast network and moving some ferries to more sheltered locations for safety.
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Hide AdP&O Ferries cancelled some sailings between Cairnryan and Larne, and Stena Line between Cairnryan to Belfast.
First Glasgow - the city’s main operator - will suspend all bus services from 8am until at least 6pm. McGill’s Buses will not run across the west of Scotland, Forth Valley and Edinburgh from 9am to 6pm.
Lothian, Edinburgh’s main bus operator, will suspend all services from 10am to 5pm, with reductions from 8am.
No LNER trains will run north of Newcastle and Caledonian Sleeper has cancelled all its Scotland-London trains on Thursday and Friday nights.
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Hide AdLoganair has cancelled all its flights, including to the Western and Northern Isles.
Edinburgh Airport - Scotland’s busiest - said operations would be “limited” and passengers should check with their airlines, who would decide whether to operate flights. AGS Airports, which runs Glasgow and Aberdeen, offered similar advice.
Planned road closures include the A1 over over the River Tyne near East Linton in East Lothian, with a four-minute traffic diversion in place via the parallel A199 from 6am.
Scottish and Southern Energy Networks said disruption to power supplies was expected and it could take some time to reconnect customers, but its response teams had been increased tenfold.
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Hide AdEvents postponed include all performances in the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow. Public buildings to be closed include the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, as well as Edinburgh Castle.


Mr Swinney’s warning was underlined by Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, head of road policing for Police Scotland, who advised people - without exception - not to travel.
In a statement at the Scottish Parliament, Mr Swinney said: “We have to be clear - people should not travel and Police Scotland will issue a formal ‘do not travel’ advisory notice shortly.
“Red weather warnings like this are very rare. Our message is simple, please follow the advice from the Met Office and the police, take this seriously and stay safe.”
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Hide AdChf Supt Sloan said: “During the period of the red weather warning, my advice is not to travel.” She repeated the statement when asked if any exceptions could be made.
She said: “The advice is for all road users around not travelling and that is really important that people heed that advice for their safety and the safety of others.
“The warning is for high winds with potentials for debris or trees to come down.”
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Hide AdMuch of the Central Belt is included in the red weather warning area, including Edinburgh and Glasgow. It is the first red warning to cover that part of Scotland for seven years.


Forecasters are warning of flying debris resulting in danger to life, as well as “very dangerous” driving conditions because of fallen trees.
BEAR Scotland, which operates bridges across the Forth, said winds were expected to gust at over 80mph, which would shut the public transport-only Forth Road Bridge.
It would also close the Queensferry Crossing and Clackmannanshire Bridge to high-sided vehicles like lorries, motorcycles and cars with trailers or roof boxes.
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Hide AdThe company said the Queensferry Crossing would have to close to all vehicles except cars if gusts reached 90mph, and to cars if they reached 100mph.


STV weather presenter Sean Batty tweeted “Scotland could be about to record its lowest air pressure since 1982” while Judith Ralston, a BBC Scotland counterpart, posted on social media: “This is one major storm. I’ve not seen anything like it in my [22-year] career.”
There may also be power cuts, damage to buildings, and delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights.
Mr Swinney told MSPs: “The storm could bring winds up to 100mph. The Met Office advice is clear, the potential impacts include danger to life, structural damage to property, and transport and power disruptions.”
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Hide AdHe said the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room was activated on Thursday morning to co-ordinate help and to support Scotland’s frontline responders.
Mr Swinney later chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room to assess preparations.
A statement from the Met Office said: “South-westerly then westerly winds will rapidly increase from west to east Friday mid-morning onwards into the afternoon, with peak gusts of 80-90mph fairly widely and perhaps up to 100 mph along exposed western coasts.
“This brings the risk of significant disruption to transport and power supplies as well as dangerous conditions outdoors. Winds will gradually ease through Friday evening.”
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Hide AdThe record for a wind gust in Northern Ireland is 124mph in Kilkeel in Co Down in January 1974.
A separate amber warning for strong winds will cover much of Scotland north of the Central Belt from 1pm on Friday until 6am on Saturday, with a lesser yellow warning for all but the south of Scotland from midnight to 3pm on Saturday.
ScotRail service delivery director Mark Ilderton said: “The Met Office warnings mean it will not be safe for our customers and our staff, and all ScotRail train services will be suspended on Friday.
“We recognise the impact that the withdrawal of train services will have on customers, but our first priority is always to ensure the safety of staff and passengers.”
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Hide AdA CalMac spokesperson said: “A red weather warning carries a threat to life and strict guidance not to travel, and this covers large parts of our network in Clyde and Argyll.
“Services were already disrupted in areas under an amber warning, and we do not want colleagues or customers to travel in these conditions for sailings that were, had we not pre-emptively taken this decision, at high risk of cancellation.
“The safety of our people, and of those who travel with us, is our number one priority and it is with that in mind we have cancelled all sailings.”
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution warned people to stay back from coasts.
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Hide AdMichael Avril, its water safety lead for Scotland, said: “If you plan to visit the coast, the RNLI advises that you stay a safe distance from the water as conditions could knock you off your feet or wash you into the sea.”
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