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Staying safe in winter weather

Last updated
9 Nov 2020

Travel conditions

You can get live information about road conditions from Traffic Scotland's website.

Get more information about staying safe when travelling in bad weather.

Try to avoid journeys when road conditions are bad.

Clearing snow and ice

Some local roads are cleared of snow and ice by your local council in line with the priorities of their winter road maintenance plans.

They may also clear pavements and footpaths. If they do not do this, you may need to do it yourself. There's information about how to clear pavements and footpath safely on GOV.UK.

Black ice on roads and pavements

If you can, avoid journeys when the roads are icy.

If you must travel, read Police Scotland's advice about driving safely in winter.

You can apply salt or grit to pavements outside your home or business to reduce black ice.

Grit bins

Grit bins are maintained by your council and are for residents or any road user.

Aberdeen City Council Aberdeenshire Council Angus Council Argyll and Bute Council Clackmannanshire Council Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) Dumfries & Galloway Council Dundee City Council East Ayrshire Council East Dunbartonshire Council East Lothian Council East Renfrewshire Council Edinburgh City Council Falkirk Council Fife Council Glasgow City Council Highlands Council Inverclyde Council Midlothian Council Moray Council North Ayrshire Council North Lanarkshire Council Orkney Islands Council Perth & Kinross Council Renfrewshire Council Scottish Borders Council Shetland Islands Council South Ayrshire Council South Lanarkshire Council Stirling Council West Dunbartonshire Council West Lothian Council

Contact your local council with details of the grit bin location if it needs to be topped up.

Damage to your home

Frozen pipes

Scottish water offers advice on what to do if a pipe freezes.

You can also call a registered plumber.

It's dangerous to thaw frozen pipes by switching on your immersion heater or central heating boiler. This can cause frozen pipes to burst.

Find out how to protect your pipes in winter.

Burst pipes

Scottish Water offers advice on what to do in a pipe bursts in your home.

If a mains water pipe bursts in your area contact Scottish Water. If you're unsure what to do contact a registered plumber.

Falling ice and snow

Snow and ice can fall suddenly and cause damage to your property or vehicle. Contact your insurer if any damage has been caused.

Loss of utilities

Winter weather can lead to some households losing their supply of electricity, water or gas (known as 'utilities').

There's more information on what to do if you lose electricity, gas or water.

Flooding

Get information on:

Find out more about preparing for flooding and what to do if flooding happens on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's website.

Your health

If you're unwell during the winter, contact your local GP or call NHS24 on 111.

You can also visit the NHS 24 website for help on common winter illnesses.

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