Highland Council winter road condition and school closure report for Thursday 18 January 2018
Maps of the Council’s gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Road condition reports by The Highland Council’s Community Services for Thursday 18 January 2018 are as follows:
Ross and Cromarty: There is a light dusting of fresh snow and icy patches across the network with negative road surface temperatures on all routes. Treatment is ongoing this morning. As at 11:24
Caithness and North Sutherland: Some routes across North Sutherland have up to 2" of snow on them , others a covering with ice below. Treatments are on going by priority with no problems reported. Caithness inland routes have up to 2" of snow on them while other routes have a covering over icy conditions. Treaments are also on going by priority with no problems reported. As at 09:05
South Sutherland: Roads affected by up to 50mm fresh snow with icy conditions underneath. Some drifting on high ground resulting in drifting snow up to 600mm deep but this is very localised. As at 10:23
Skye and Lochalsh: North Skye routes have a dusting of snow and it’s frosty. Vehicles are clearing well and routes are being treated in order of priority. This is the same for roads on West Skye. Routes on South Skye – also have a dusting of snow and are very slippy in places but clearing well, and getting treated in order of priority. Mainland routes have 1 inch of snow on them, and the glens have a dusting of snow. All are being treated in order of priority. As at 10:28
Lochaber: Roads affected by snow and wintry showers so treatment is on-going, including the treatment of footpaths. As at 09:10
Nairn: Widespread frost and ice across roads which are being treated as necessary. As at 08:37
Badenoch and Strathspey: Frosty roads across the area with widespread hardpacked snow and ice. Roads being treated with salt. As at 07:11
Inverness: Just a dusting of snow overnight on low roads and less than 1" covering on high roads overnight but still old frozen snow between wheel tracks on high roads. All routes being gritted this morning plus bladed where required. As at 08:30
Highland has the longest road network of any council in Scotland and it is not possible to treat every road at the same time. A priority system is applied to treat the areas in greatest need first.
Trunk roads are gritted by BEAR Scotland (North West) for Transport Scotland.
School Closures:
As at 10.45am today a total of 2 secondary schools and 11 primary schools (including 6 nurseries) across the Highlands are either closed due to the weather, partially closed (no school transport) or opened later than normal.
Details are as follows- List of schools closed due to bad weather unless otherwise stated:
Balnain Primary:
Crossroads Primary:
Dingwall Primary & Nursery: – opened 1 hour later
Farr High School:
Farr Primary (Inv):
Farr Primary (Suth): Partially closed – no school transport
Farr Primary Nursery (Inv):
Farr Primary Nursery (Suth):
Foyers Primary:
Kilchuimen Academy:
Kilchuimen Primary:
Kilchuimen Primary Nursery:
Melvich Primary: Partially closed – no school transport
Melvich Primary Nursery:
Strathconon Primary:
Strathconon Primary Nursery:
Stratherrick Primary:
Tongue Primary: Partially closed – no school transport
PLEASE NOTE other schools may close during the day so please visit the school closures website for up-to-date information - https://www.highland.gov.uk/schoolclosures
The page is updated from 7am and cleared each evening by 6pm. Get alerts of closures on Highland Council’s Twitter and Facebook. Or phone 0800 564 2272 to get the latest pre-recorded message from head teachers regarding their school. Have the school's PIN ready when you call.