11/01/2017 Reporting Scotland

That's all from the BBC News at Six, so it's goodbye from me

and on BBC One we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.

The Forth Road Bridge remains closed tonight after strong

winds overturned a lorry and caused massive disruption.

People are late for work and they are taking silly risks. The new code

that means police will only be able to use stop and search measures

giving reasonable grounds. The finance secretary is questioned

about his tax plans. An investigation finds a helicopter

spun more than 180 degrees as it was landing on a North Sea platform. And

we meet the University research are developing technology designed to

help people with paralysed faces. The Forth Road Bridge remains closed

tonight after strong winds overturned a lorry

and caused massive disruption. It is due to reopen

tomorrow first thing. A 54-year-old man has since been

charged with dangerous driving. More than 70,000 vehicles use

the bridge each day. Our reporter Andrew Anderson

is there tonight. Jackie, the lorry at the centre of

the chaos on the Forth Road Bridge today was finally towed away at

about half past four this afternoon, some 14 and a half hours after the

accident. But the bridge remains closed for the time being because

when the lorry was blown from the northbound carriageway to the

southbound carriageway it caused damage to a long stretch of the

central reservation and that has to be put right and made safe before

vehicles can use the crossing again. It has been a difficult day for team

is working on the bridge and for motorists making their way around

this part of Scotland. The lorry had been travelling north

in the early hours of this morning. Winds of 74 miles an hour blew it

off balance throwing it across the central barrier. The driver was not

seriously injured, the bridge had been closed to high sided vehicles

because of the gale. The way it toppled onto the middle, it became

entangled in the steel rod itself and we had to lift it up and remove

it out, which is not easy, so we have had an operational resources

out there with three recovery vehicles waiting for an opportunity

to take that. Instead of easing, the weather worsened during the day.

Traffic disruption across eastern and central Scotland was significant

throughout the day and this evening, many drivers diverting via the

Kincardine Bridge were stuck in lengthy tailbacks. There has been

not a lot of movement, there has been frustration and people are late

for work and they are taking silly risks. They are cutting each other

up. Observing the road network from the nearby operations the transport

minister said the driver was lucky to be alive and the cost to the

economy would be high. It has closed off the bridge for the morning

traffic and it has had an impact financially to Scotland, but our

main objective is to ensure that individuals are safe and secondly we

had to reopen the bridge in the best possible way we can. After hours of

work in difficult conditions, possible way we can. After hours of

engineers managed to write the lorry. Others have been working on

replacement to repair the damaged central barrier. This is the worst

crash damage to the bridge in its 53 year history. The lorry has been

taken off the bridge, but it remains closed and will do so until later

With every hour that passes, the costs rise.

So, Andrew, it's looking better for tomorrow?

Hopefully. We are told the crews are working flat out to repair the

damage to the bridge and the hope is it will open by six o'clock tomorrow

morning in time for the rush hour. They have not been able to open it

in time for tonight's rush hour and thousands of commuters will be

in time for tonight's rush hour and facing a miserable journey to try

and get home as they did this morning when they were trying to get

to work. A better picture tomorrow morning hopefully, but it may be

difficult for motorists and drivers and travellers in other parts of the

country because there is some bad weather on its way.

And it's not just the central belt and Fife being affected by the high

Craig Anderson is on the A9 south of Inverness.

Yes, Jackie. It is a wee bit inclement here, but we are on one of

the highest road in Scotland. Looking at power supplies, the power

companies tell me they will have engineers in place to make sure that

any problems caused by the weather are rectified as soon as possible.

1500 people were left without electricity this morning because of

the weather. On the ferries the Clyde and Hebrides routes were badly

affected, half of the services were cancelled and the rest disrupted.

That is the same in the Northern Isles and ferry passengers can

expect the same tomorrow and possibly over the next 48 hours.

There has been some flights disruption and if there is ice and

snow overnight, flights could be disrupted again tomorrow. ScotRail

has already rearranged some of their services between Inverness and the

central belt for tomorrow. On the roads, well, we are at one of the

highest roots in Scotland. At lower levels the report has to be that

there are a few centimetres of snow and up here between 10-20

centimetres, with winds forecast up to gale force 65 miles an hour. That

can cause blizzards and drifting snow and already the snow here is

lying on the road as the showers come down. Drivers are being warned

to be prepared for the conditions and for a longer journey times and

with the high winds there will be difficult driving conditions on

those bridges and a lot more restrictions for larger vehicles as

And a reminder you can get the latest weather and traffic

updates on the BBC Scotland News website.

Police will only be able to use stop and search powers where they have

reasonable grounds to do so under a new code published today.

If approved by parliament, the code will end so-called

"consensual" stop searches from May this year.

Our political correspondent Lucy Adams reports.

The aim was to cut violent crime, but as the police use of stop and

search search to more than 600,000 a year, questions were raised about

who they were searching and wide. We are going to make a strong statement

and I will say from here on in we should not be searching young

children under the age of consent on a consensual basis. Months later,

the BBC revealed hundreds of children under the age of 12 were

still being consensually searched. That in part led to today's draft

code. What is important is that when stop and search is being used when

necessary and proportionate, and it is being done within the law, what

the new code does is make sure that the piece are clear about the powers

they have. All officers are being trained to ensure the code is

followed. Stop and search is a valuable tactic when it is applied

fairly and proportionately and justifiably. It needs to be applied

to the right people in the right places and at the right times. But

some say the damage has already been done to public trust. It is hard to

measure it, but there is a strong impression it caused damage to

people's views of police and community relations in certain areas

where the so-called consensual stop and search happened the most fun.

And also it was used on children and young people. It is groups of young

people like these that police Scotland are now going to have to

persuade that this new code will make a difference and build

relations which might have been undermined in the past. Just coming

back from swimming we were heading home and they asked if it was OK to

look in our bags and we said, no problem. It is quite intimidating,

it is also embarrassing being stopped and searched at the side of

the road. The police need to go into schools and teach them about the

searchers and the stop and search laws and what the piece can and

cannot do. From this May, officers will have to record everything. And

search and there are grounds for doing so. Those searched will be

given a receipt, but it may take more than this to rebuild trust with

more than this to rebuild trust with the public.

Police can still stop and search you, can't they?

It is a small change in the wording, but it is important. It is in a

sense in that the majority of searches they used to do was

consensual. It was a misnomer. It was a friendly, hello, how are you

doing? Do you mind if I look in your bag. But it was done on a nonlegal

process and this was without scrutiny. The idea of the code is

that it ends altogether. In the past we saw a massive increase, in 2013,

640,000 searches, and 70% were what they call consensual. No more. This

was going on even more than the Metropolitan police had used them.

Now they have to have reasonable grounds. You cannot say, you look

suspicious, I do not like what you are wearing, I will search you. They

have to have intelligence that suggests somebody has a knife. We

will run through all the legalities, explain what we are doing and why we

are doing it and record it and that will be scrutinised. Every person

going through it will get a receipt so they can challenge it as well. In

future they will not be able to do this without scrutiny. Because of

the scrutiny by politicians and journalists that figure has come

down dramatically and last year there were just 90 1000.

The SNP believes the UK government will have to postpone the start

of the formal process of leaving the EU if there's no solution

to the political crisis in Northern Ireland.

There, the power sharing government has collapsed.

Theresa May has promised to trigger Article 50 by the end of March.

Our political correspondent Nick Eardley reports.

Northern Ireland's former First Minister and her deputy. Martin

McGuinness resigned last week over a controversial government funded

heating scheme. Under power-sharing rules, the administration falls.

Talks are ongoing, but ministers believe an election is likely and

that can mean no new government for several weeks. I have said I will

not trigger Article 50 until I think we have a UK approach and objectives

for the negotiations. The Prime Minister wants to trigger Article 50

in the next three months, but what if there is no administration in

Northern Ireland? The SNP says that will make consultation impossible.

In these circumstances will the Prime Minister postpone invoking

Article 50? Would she postpone provoking Article 50 or will she

just plough on regardless? Theresa May says she is hopeful a solution

to the crisis can be found. It is still the case ministers are in

place and obviously there are executives in place and we are still

able to take the views of the Northern Ireland people. Theresa May

has never wavered from her commitment to trigger Article 50 by

the end of March, but her political opponents believe she has to

properly consult a new Northern Ireland administration. The next

talks between the Prime Minister and devolved administrations are due

devolved administrations are due later this month.

At Holyrood, the Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has faced

tough questions from MSPs over his tax plans.

Mr Mackay needs support from at least one other party to get

I'm joined from Holyrood now by our political

Let's talk some numbers. The Scottish government wants to

maintain the standard rate of tax as it is. It does not want to give a

big tax giveaway to higher earners as propose, but for the Chancellor

there is one other number that matters and the fact that they do

not have a majority and Derek Mackay needs a charm to tolerate his budget

going through. There is a separate vote on tax as well as the budget.

The Tories and the Labour Party, Derek Mackay has given up on them.

They are standing very firmly against the SNP position. He is

looking at the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party. There was a very

sharp exchange with the Green Party overtaxation. Patrick Harvie could

not see why there had to be a giveaway to the higher earners. Why

are you doing the maximum of what you set out as something worth

considering in the manifesto? What we are doing is in line with

inflation. We will take tax decisions year to year and that is

the position we have put across at the moment. That is the figure in

line with inflation and that feels like the right thing to do. Why? It

is our judgment of what is fair and balanced. You have a different view

is our judgment of what is fair and on the structure of income tax and

it fits within our manifesto commitment. It commands the support

of the people and is fair and gives certainty at this time. So the Green

Party is not happy. What about the Liberal Democrats? They will take

some persuading as well. Derek Mackay does not want to concede on

tax. He regards it as a carefully calibrated, balanced package. The

SNP won rather more votes than the other parties, so he wants to make

concessions on public spending rather than tax. The Liberal

Democrats have their concerns about the tax package and they might be

persuaded on elements like public spending and on a key issue to them,

the provision of mental health. But right now Derek Mackay has not got

the votes. You're watching BBC

Reporting Scotland. A reminder of tonight's top story:

The Forth Road Bridge remains closed until tomorrow after a lorry

was blown over by high winds, causing massive travel disruption

and leaving drivers frustrated. And still to come: We meet

the university researcher developing new technology designed to help

people with paralysed faces. An investigation has found

a helicopter spun more than 180 degrees as it was landing

on a North Sea platform. The Air Accidents Investigation

branch has released initial findings of its inquiry

into the incident last month. All S92 aircraft were

grounded as a result. Rebecca Curran is at Aberdeen

airport for us tonight. How much detail has been published

in this report, Rebecca? This is the first official account

we've had from the AAIB about the incident on the West Franklin

platform on the 28th of December. The investigation focused on the

tail rotor of the S92 aircraft. A part of the rotor,

which you can see in this picture, was found to be

in a severely distressed condition. When the helicopter came

into land on the platform, it spun 187 degrees before

coming to rest. No one was injured but it left

significant gouge marks on the deck. Investigators say there had been

a failure in a bearing in the rotor, which led to complete

loss of control. There have been two other events

involving the same type of aircraft, which saw reduced control

of the rotor, but Sikorsky can't yet S92s around the world were grounded

yesterday while urgent safety It was expected there would be

a phased return to service today A number of flights did

however go last night. CHC, which operated the helicopter

involved, say they welcome today's report and they'll continue

to support ongoing investigation They say they're confident

the industry has acted swiftly to return the S92 to service as soon

as it was safe to do so. A sheriff has concluded

that the death of a woman who died after a lorry crashed into her home

in Ayrshire, could not 55-year-old Catherine Bonner

was watching TV when the truck driver, 57-year-old George Marshall,

took a coughing fit and ploughed into her house

in the village of Fairlie. The fatal accident inquiry heard

the driver had blacked out after a short burst of coughing

but had no history A refugee from war-torn Syria

is developing ground breaking technology to help people

with paralysed faces. Machmood Amir Alagha was given

a scholarship by Glasgow university. His work involves creating

a digital mask to capture the way partial paralysis

affects people's expressions. This from our science

correspondent Kenneth Macdonald. I am starting right now... One, two,

three... Relax. Very good. Can you pull a face like this? Too many

people can't. Injury or a condition like els palsy can cause visual

paralysis, this technology is looking at what is wrong in four

dimensions. Over time you get a video of the movement which is the

fourth dimension. This is like a Halloween mask, composed of

thousands of points. You get the mask and can form it to the face. To

get a representation of any phase. This brilliant young researcher

using technology, that's only half the story. Machmood Amir Alagha is

from Aleppo in Syria, halfway through studying for his Masters

degree in Glasgow, he became a refugee. By the end of the first

year, the situation became mad. At some points, I had to apply for

asylum in the UK. The asylum process was... It was harsh. His colleague

supported his application to stay. If it was rejected, he would have

been deported immediately. That, again, would have been very

dangerous for him, and undermining immediately what he has achieved in

the first year and destroy him as a human being. And, as a potential

scientific researcher. Very good, one more time... Instead, he was

given leave to remain and Glasgow University waived his fees. And a

scholarship for one of four students. There could be global

implications, since the 1970s, this has been the global scale for

assessing patient consciousness, and he hopes to do the same for facial

movement. You can compare facial speed and before and after, and that

can really benefit patients. What it means is that a combination of

global events and cutting edge technology could help people around

the world and give them a lot of reasons to smile. Is this another

reason? The number of new distilleries

making gin in Scotland has increased Almost 20 began producing

or selling 'Mother's Ruin' for the first time in 2016,

as thirst for the drink continues This is where we put in the

botanical elements... Move over whiskey, a new drink is in

town! Gin has been experiencing a renaissance. Last year almost 20 new

distilleries began to produce or sell gin in Scotland for the first

time, like McQueen gym here. -- gin. Some products have broken away from

golf club gin and tonic, and introduced to a younger market. It's

the new whiskey! 70% of British gin comes from Scotland. New

distilleries have been popping up all over the country. It takes only

days to produce, offering good cash flow for gin producers. Gin sales

are up 60% across the UK, compared with 3% in spirits generally. Growth

in Scotland has not been heard for a long it seems it will be the same

for 2017. Many distillers will launch products this year, it is an

exciting time to be a gin fan! It is not just the home market that gin

distillers are targeting. Exports are up, between January and October

last year, ?391 million worth were exported.

Up 11% on the previous year. When you buy gin from Scotland, you know

that you are buying it from people who have been distilling for a

couple of hundred years, they want to know the stories and who the

people are in Scotland that, over the course of only three years, have

come from a very low base and produced brands that are selling

internationally. And acclaimed by the public. People are very

enthusiasts it about them. Industry experts predict that gin will

outsell blended Scotch whiskey in three years' time but for now, the

cash and gin continues to flow. And here's Chris with

the latest forecast. Good evening. It has been very windy

today that attention now turns to the snow, as it turns increasingly

wintry. These are the latest snow and rain radars, it's already

falling on high ground but tonight it will fall to increasingly lower

levels. There are further yellow warning is for the risk of snow and

strength of wind. Showers are driven across the country and they will be

wintry. But only on the hills and high ground. On higher parts, there

are significant accumulations, but overnight we could see a few

centimetres at sea level. Around the coast, there is more likely to be

rain and sleet than inland, wintry at times, a cold night, ice in

places. Dry in the north-east but showers are frequent. Tomorrow, we

hold onto windy and wintry conditions, South, rain edges in,

which meets colder air. Some snow potentially here. This opens up the

gradient, meaning that winds eased down. It begins very windy again and

wintry. Snow showers are frequent. Tomorrow, for the commute, it could

be tricky on the ropes. Treacherous in places. -- tricky on the roads.

Some could wake up with several centimetres of snow, it might be

good to give extra time and extra space with the car in front. Not

exclusively dry here but further west, most shower activity will be

here. Wintry to sea level. It will be a cold start of the day, a cold

day in general. On Thursday, winds tend to use down, turning to a more

northerly. Showers keep on coming, particularly in Central and western

parts of the country. Sunshine at times, the heaviest with hail and

thunder in the mix. A cold afternoon despite sunshine, four degrees at

best and feeling bitterly cold. Christ in

-- it is chilly in the east, anywhere from the eastern borders. A

spell of rain in the far north. Aberdeenshire and further south,

some significant snow here, that could drift into the central belt

overnight. On Friday, generally dry, cold and crisp. Snow underfoot, a

sprinkling of snow showers in the West and on the north coasts.

Thank you. I'll be back with the headlines

at eight - and the late bulletin Until then, from

everyone on the team -