Flooding has caused major disruption across Argyll and the west coast, with roads closed and trains cancelled across the region on Saturday.
The disruption comes amid an ongoing amber weather warning from the Met Office, which involved a “danger to life” alert for the areas surrounding Fort William, Inveraray and Oban.
SEPA, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said up to a month’s worth of rain could fall in some areas over the course of the weekend.
A BEAR Scotland said: “Police are now asking drivers in the North West area NOT to travel due to the poor weather conditions.”
Argyll worst hit so far
On Saturday evening, warning of further severe weather ahead, the Scottish Government urged people to avoid travelling by road in Argyll and Bute.
Earlier in the day, the Minister for Resilience Angela Constance chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Committee (SGoRR), in recognition of the severity of the situation which will continue to develop over the next 24 hours.
Ms Constance said: “As the weather warnings outline, heavy rainfall is expected to continue in many parts of the country into Sunday and some areas will have a month’s worth of rain over the course of the weekend.
“I would urge everyone across the country to heed the travel warnings being issued by Police Scotland and others – in particular, drivers in Argyll and Bute should avoid travel due to the significant disruption across the road network.
“We are aware that the initial, most severe impacts have been felt by people and businesses in Argyll and Bute, as well as other areas in the west and north of the country.”
Help for Vulnerable
The Scottish Government said that, in Argyll and Bute, the Local Resilience Partnership has established a Care for People Sub-Group, led by the local Health and Social Care Partnership, which is working to identify and reach vulnerable people that may be difficult to reach, with assistance from the voluntary sector.
Argyll and Bute Council is assisting by contacting community groups in affected areas with a view to initiating local support, such as opening up community halls.
Roads
All major roads into Argyll closed on Saturday, after torrential rain overnight caused floods and landslips, with no let up in the downpour expected until Sunday.
Transport Scotland said: “Road operating companies are assisting Police Scotland with the closures and clear up operations, however due to the continuing rainfall it will not be possible to make an assessment of the landslides or undertake clear up operations until conditions improve.”
BEAR Scotland added: “We are working as part of the Argyll and Bute Resilience Partnership to assess road closures and incidents in the area.”
A82
Traffic Scotland are reporting that the A82 has been restricted between Tarbet and Stoneymollen due to the weather conditions after it’s earlier closure.
A85
The A85 Oban to Tyndrum road was closed in two locations on Saturday morning, with closures in place between Taynuilt and Lochawe, and at Dalmally.
A83
Traffic using the A83 road was already facing a pre-emptive diversion onto the Old Military Road at the Rest and Be Thankful, but it has now also been closed at Cairndow near the junction with the A815 road to Dunoon.
Ten people caught in cars between the landslides have been airlifted out to safety.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were called to reports of multiple landslides on the A83 and A815 on the morning of Saturday, 7 October, 2023.
“A number of vehicles were stuck between the landslides.
“Emergency services, including HM Coastguard, attended and ten people were airlifted to safety. There were no reports of injuries.
“The roads remain closed and drivers are urged to avoid travel in the area.”
On Saturday evening, BEAR Scotland said: “Due to the heavy and persistent rainfall on Friday evening and Saturday, there have been seven identified landslips on the A83, including several at the Rest and Be Thankful.
Road closures are in place between Inverarary and Tarbet due to landslides at both sides of the Dunoon junction. The hard closure point is at Ardgarten, with Road Closed Ahead at Tarbet.
“The usual diversion via A819/A85/A82 at A85 Dalmally is also currently closed due to flooding.”
The trunk road maintenance operator also informed motorists that the Rest would remain closed until after inspections had taken place on Sunday, adding that the Gourock to Dunoon ferry route was still operating.
BEAR added: “This is an evolving situation, and our BEAR Teams are on site attending landslide locations, but it is currently not safe to commence any clean-up operations.”
A815
Police Scotland also reported that the A815, between Dunoon and the A83, has been closed due to flooding and landslides.
A816
Meanwhile, Police Scotland also reported that the A816 Lochgilphead-Oban road had been closed on Saturday morning due to the severe conditions.
Police Scotland reported the A816 Oban to Lochgilphead road was closed on Saturday morning due to a landslide at Ardfern.
Chris Taylor took this photograph of the landslide blocking the A816 at the Bealach between Ardfern and Lochgilphead, and footage has also been posted on Oban and Lorn Roadwatch’s social media page, here.
The A816 also looked impassable due to a flood a mile north of Kilmartin, shown here on the same page.
Linda MacKinnon also captured some saddening footage of people’s belongings and garden equipment being taken downstream at Kilmelford, which you can watch here.
Linda MacKinnon also captured some saddening footage of people’s belongings and garden equipment being taken downstream at Kilmelford, which you can watch here.
Buses
Scottish Citylink and West Coast Motors have also updated passengers on the weather related disruption to their services.
In a service update, Scottish Citylink also said: “Due to the weather conditions and various road closures, all Services between Oban/Campbeltown and Glasgow (976, 926) have been cancelled.”
West Coast Motors advised customers that they would only be operating service 926 (Campbeltown to Glasgow) between Campbeltown and Lochgilphead for the reminder of Saturday.
On Sunday the 926 service will be reinstated with the 6.10am service to Campbeltown which will commence at Lochgilphead at 8.45am instead of starting in Glasgow.
However, Scottish Citylink said: “This depends on road and weather conditions tomorrow; we will update if anything changes.”
Trains
ScotRail have cancelled all their scheduled rail services between Oban, Fort William, Mallaig and Glasgow Queen Street on the West Highland Line.
The rail operator also advised its customers that there would be no bus replacement services in place due to the conditions.
“Worst they’ve seen” in Minard
A resident of Minard in Mid Argyll told the Argyllshire Advertiser that residents of the village had told him that “this is the worst they’ve seen.”
“The “circuit” is a mile long circular walk around the village that was impassable for some time because Auchgoyle Burn was over the top of the footbridge on the walk”, said Brian Barker.
“The track from the A83 up to Inverae and Garvachy has been badly eroded by running water. It’s not clear if people will be able to get up the track by car as it is so rutted.
“The A83 was flooded at one point, with water flowing over the footpath onto the shore. All the water flowing into the Loch (Fyne) has turned the water brown for several hundred metres offshore.
“I think most people have done the sensible thing and stayed home apart from short trips out to check on neighbours.”
Amber Warning
On Friday, the Met Office issued an amber warning for several areas of central and the west of Scotland.
This was expected to affect Argyll, Lochaber and Highland, and has been put in place from 3am on Saturday until 6am on Sunday.
A yellow warning for rain also remains in place for large parts of central and northern Scotland throughout Saturday until early on Sunday morning.
This has now also been extended further south-west to encompass Campbeltown and South Kintyre.
It had been forecast that as much as 180mm of rain could fall in some areas this weekend, with a 100mm of rain expected in the areas within the amber alert warning.
Transport Scotland have informed drivers that the rain will cause difficult driving conditions, with reduced visibility and surface water likely.
Police Scotland has also warned that there is a high risk of travel disruption in the areas affected by the amber warning.
Scottish Government transport minister, Fiona Hyslop said: “It’s important people plan their journeys before they set off. Motorists should make sure their routes are available, follow the travel advice from Police Scotland and drive in accordance with the conditions.
“The Traffic Scotland twitter/X page is regularly updated and the mobile website – my.trafficscotland.org – lets people get the latest information on the move.
“If you are planning to travel by train, ferry or plane, please check with your operators to see if the conditions are having any impact on your services.”
‘Avoid Unnecessary Travel’
Warning of a high risk of travel disruption, Police Scotland Argyll & Dunbartonshire said: “Drivers are urged to take care on the roads and avoid unnecessary travel.”
Head of Road Policing, chief superintendent Hilary Sloans added: “Our advice is to plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary or if it can be delayed until conditions improve.
“Stopping distances can be at least double on wet roads compared to dry conditions, and spray can reduce driver visibility.”
Scottish Government transport minister, Fiona Hyslop, said: “It’s important people plan their journeys before they set off. Motorists should make sure their routes are available, follow the travel advice from Police Scotland and drive in accordance with the conditions.
“The Traffic Scotland twitter/X page is regularly updated and the mobile website – my.trafficscotland.org – lets people get the latest information on the move.
“If you are planning to travel by train, ferry or plane, please check with your operators to see if the conditions are having any impact on your services.”
Floods
The Met Office amber alert is in place for the areas surrounding Fort William, Oban, Inveraray, Crianlarich and for the eastern part of the Morven Peninsula.
Nearby areas, including all the Inner Hebrides, Skye and North Kintyre, as well as the Lochgilphead and Mallaig areas have a yellow warning for rain in place.
The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has expected a “widespread flooding event” to occur on both Saturday and Sunday.
On Friday, SEPA’s flood duty manager, Ruth Ellis said: “A major rainfall event is expected, bringing significant prolonged heavy rain throughout Saturday over the Southern Highlands and western Central Belt, with more heavy rain in the north on Sunday.
“As a result, we’re likely to see extensive river and surface water flooding impacts across those areas.
“Danger to life, widespread property flooding, flooding of roads and disruption to infrastructure is possible.
“We would advise people living and working in the affected areas to consider any steps they need to take now to be prepared for flooding impacts and consider whether their journey is necessary.
“Regional Flood Alerts have been issued and more locally specific Flood Warnings will be issued as necessary. We will continue to keep a very close eye on the situation, monitoring 24/7 as well as working closely with the Met Office and other partner agencies.
SEPA has also advised people to sign up to Floodline to receive updates on how flooding might be affecting specific areas, with flooding advice on the Floodline website.
The latest information on SEPA’s regional flood alerts and flood warnings is available from www.floodlinescotland.org.uk/floodupdates.
More to Come
Vincent Fitzsimons, SEPA’s Flood Duty Manager, said on Saturday: “SEPA has issued Regional Flood Alerts and more locally specific Flood Warnings across Scotland due to the major rainfall event that is bringing prolonged, heavy rain throughout the day and into Sunday.
“I want to be very clear that this is not a normal Autumn day for Scotland. We’re expecting extensive river and surface water flooding in affected areas. There is a danger to life. There will be widespread impacts to road and rail. There is a risk of more significant community scale property flooding.
“Rain will move across central and western parts this morning, moving northwards through the day. Many areas will see heavy rain for well over 24hrs before it clears on Sunday. Of particular concern are communities in the amber area that extends from west central Scotland northwards.”
On Friday the Met Office issued an amber warning for rain, covering Inverclyde, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, East and West Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Lochaber, parts of Stirling, Perthshire, Aberdeenshire and the Highlands. It is in place until 6 am on Sunday. Yellow warnings for rain remain in place for other large parts the country and are updated on the Met Office website.
The greatest impacts earlier on Saturday were experienced in Inverclyde, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, East and West Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Lochaber, parts of Stirling, Perthshire, Aberdeenshire and the Highlands.