Plan ahead for the worst of the winter weather

The campaign, run in partnership with the British Red Cross, sets out steps at home, before a journey, at work or in the community which will help Scots to stay safe this winter, come rain, sleet or snow.

Minister for transport Keith Brown said: “If there is anything recent winters have shown us, it is that Scottish weather is unpredictable.

“In the last five years, parts of Scotland have been badly affected by severe weather ranging from snow and freezing temperatures to high winds and blizzards. We cannot simply hope that we will miss the worst of it. Our winter preparedness campaign reminds us of this and the simple actions we can all take to get ready.”

Practical tips include identifying neighbours or family who may need a helping hand if severe weather strikes, and having their phone numbers to hand.

Make a household plan and collect items which will be important in an emergency.

Pack essential items in your car including an ice scraper and de-icer, a torch and spare batteries, a shovel, warm clothes, boots and a blanket as well as some long-lasting food and even a warm drink.

There are more details at — you can also download the ReadyScotland app.

Glasgow City Council has announced its updated winter maintenance plan for the year, and will once again display real-time data on the GCC website.

There are 1,242 grit bins across the city — for details, visit .

Over in East Ren, the winter watch team will be available on standby 24/7 until May, keeping 319 street grit bins and 18 larger community bins topped up.

An ERC spokesman said: “This winter, rest assured we will have to continue treating our main routes until such times as they are considered safe. Please take care if you are out on the roads.”

For daily weather and gritting updates, visit .