FLOOD warnings were still in place as heavy rain from Storm Callum continued to sweep parts of the country yesterday, causing widespread travel disruption.
The storm hit Scotland on Friday, with the Met Office issuing yellow warnings of heavy and persistent rain for southern Scotland, the Lothians and the Strathclyde area, which were put in place until shortly before midnight yesterday.
Meanwhile the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) had warnings in place for Ballinluig to Logierait and Upper Tay. Potential hazards included flooded roads and road closures. Weather forecasters warned that there would be further heavy and persistent rainfall in coming days. It is claimed the storm has caused the worst flooding seen in parts of Wales for 30 years.
On the transport network some rail services were hit by delays, with the weather affecting the route between Preston and Scotland. Strong winds also saw speed restrictions imposed on many routes – with reduced Virgin services between London and Scottish cities. Traffic Scotland has urged motorists to drive with caution due to surface water on the roads
Heavy rain and strong winds brought 300 tonnes of debris from the hillside on to the A83 in Argyll and Bute on Friday as operators tried to clear landslips from earlier in the week. The closure has caused a diversion of almost 60 miles for motorists.
Bear Scotland said it was working to clear the carriageway and reinstate drainage.
North west manager Eddie Ross said the rain from Storm Callum was limiting visibility and making conditions hazardous. “Despite this, teams are working exceptionally hard to make the area safe,” he added.
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