SALMOND COMMENTS ON LATEST SEVERE WEATHER IN GORDON

Speaking on the latest round of severe weather in the North East, Gordon MSP, Alex Salmond, sought to reassure constituents that the Scottish Government was offering Aberdeenshire Council every means of support available.

Mr Salmond pointed to large shipments of vital heating oil dispatched to the North East this week (Monday), and urged local motorists to follow police advice when travelling.

Mr Salmond said:

“Two shipments of essential kerosene oil, together totalling 1.8 million litres, have been unloaded in Aberdeen and Inverness, ready for distribution to customers across the North East and the rest of Scotland.

“The Grangemouth refinery has ramped up production to increased supplies and The Scottish Government is engaging with Scotland’s fuel distributors on a daily basis to address any issues in the supply and delivery of heating oil during the severe weather.

“Deliveries of vehicle fuels, including red diesel, are also on their way.
“We are aware that shortage of fuel may present itself as a serious issue due to the heavy snow here, so we’re taking action to make sure Scotland’s supply keeps flowing.

“There are other important concerns arising from the heavy snow, not least the treacherous driving conditions on our country roads.

“Half of Scotland’s 1,500 gritting vehicles are deployed in the North East and the North. We’re mobilising Scotland resources towards the North East to ensure we get as much grit on the road as possible. I would urge all motorists in Gordon to exercise extreme caution when travelling over the next few days, and to look out for announcements from Grampian Police.

"Rest assured we're acting early to nip the problems of the snow in the bud. Learning lessons from previous bouts of snow this year, we're tackling the snow head-on.

"I am, as ever, more than happy to point constituents in the right direction when it comes to problems resulting from the snow."