Motorists in Scotland have been asked to only make journeys that are absolutely necessary today as a Met Office weather warning puts the whole of Scotland on alert.

The Met Office issued a red warning, their highest alert, during the night and said the next 24 hours will bring the most severe weather so far this winter. The winds will bring snow and rain, and in a bid to avoid the chaos that ensued last year, emergency services are bringing in extra staff. Storms are already crashing into the Western Isles this morning with winds up to 90mph recorded already. The Scottish Parliament has instructed schools to close and drivers to get off the road unless they have good reason to be there.

Of course delivery drivers and other motorists who have vehicles covered by commercial vehicle insurance will have great cause to be on the road as their livelihood will be at stake. It is hoped the Met Office and Government warnings will keep the roads clear enough to enable the commercial sector to go about their business unhindered.

Unfortunately there is bound to be some hold ups and many drivers will find their routes changing as the day progresses. Allan Moffat, from the Association of Scottish Police Officers, said: “It is likely that some or all of the major bridges could be closed, this will inevitably cause disruption on major routes and have an impact on other road networks. The predicted impact of the wind is such that it may cause structural damage and is a specific danger to high sided road vehicles. By travelling, motorists may be putting themselves at serious risk; such is the severity of the forecast conditions.”

It is just 12 months ago when Scotland came to a standstill for virtually months as the coldest winter for decades took hold, and drivers who used their vans and cars professionally found their businesses under threat from a source they never considered. Insurers paid out millions of pounds in claims and breakdown organisations were pushed beyond the limit. Scotland will be hoping the big storm coming today is not a foretaste of things to come.