Leading cops from the north and north-east have urged the public to be careful ahead of the reopening of retail and hospitality on Monday.
North-East Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent George Macdonald and his Highlands and Islands counterpart Conrad Trickett issued a statement about the further easing of restrictions.
From Monday, beer gardens, non-essential shops and gyms can reopen, meaning that town centres will be the busiest they have been this year.
In addition, the travel ban between England and Scotland comes to an end, so tourists can travel up to the more scenic parts of the country and stay overnight.
CS Macdonald thanked the public who have stuck to the rules over the course of lockdown.
He said: “I would like to thank the vast majority of people who are sticking to the rules to suppress the spread of coronavirus.
“The sacrifices people have made have allowed for further easing of regulations around travel, hospitality, and non-essential retail from Monday as Scotland moves into level three restrictions.
“With the hospitality sector and non-essential shops reopening we are going to see increased traffic on our roads and more people in our towns, cities and retail parks.
“If you are visiting beauty spots then I would urge you to please do so safely and respectfully – leaving no trace of your visit. Please also park responsibly to allow emergency access.”
DS Trickett added: “While level three allows six people from two households to meet inside a public place, such as a café or restaurant, indoor house parties are still not permitted due to the serious risk of spreading the virus.
“Police Scotland’s approach throughout the pandemic has been to engage with the public, explain the legislation and encourage compliance, but our officers will not hesitate to use our enforcement powers as a last resort.
“This approach will continue as, hopefully, restrictions continue to be eased over the coming months and we move back to a more normal way of life.”