Highland Council winter road condition and school closure report for Friday 2 March 2018

Conditions across the Highland region vary considerably and you are advised to consider the forecast, Police advice and local conditions before travelling. If travelling, make sure you are prepared for delays and difficult conditions. Advice can be found at : https://www.readyscotland.org/

Current warnings affecting parts of Highland Council area (see Met Office website): http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings/

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 Friday 2 March 2018 are as follows:

Caithness and North Sutherland: The A897 is closed Between Melvich and Kinbrace, the A836 closed between Tongue and Lairg, and the B873 between Syre and Altnaharra is closed due to a vehicle off the road. All other routes in the area are passable with routes further west clear of snow. Operations to clear routes are on going. As at 10:33

South Sutherland: The A836 Lairg- Tongue, A837 Rosehall- Ledmore, A897 Helmsadale - Kinbrace, B9176 Struie hill are all closed and expected to remain closed all day. All other routes have drifting snow which is blowing in the whole time behind the gritter vehicles. As at 09:43

Ross and Cromarty: The A835 Ullapool to Ledmore and C1047 Drumrunie to Achiltibuie roads are still closed and are likely to remain closed for some time as continuing  drifting snow and winds are hampering efforts to reopen them. Other roads around this area are also affected by drifts and work being undertaken to try and clear where possible. Crews are encountering snow showers, drifts and high winds. The remaining West routes are mainly dry with some snow particularly on A832 Gairloch to Braemore Junction routes which are being patrolled and actioned as required.

In East Ross routes are affected by fresh snow. Routes in the Alness area are being bladed and treated as necessary. Routes north of Alness heading towards the Tain area are affected by drifting snow so additional resources are being diverted to try and open the main arteries. The areas worst affected are round Portmahomack and Tarell on the B9165, and C1209.

 Mid Ross routes are mainly dry with a light dusting of snow on them. Road are being patrolled and actioned as necessary but no particular issues have been reported.

As at 07:39

Badenoch and Strathspey:  Fresh snow is falling and there is widespread drifting snow across whole area. Roads being treated as necessary. As at 08:19

Nairn: Roads are generally black but with incidents of drifting snow on high level routes. Roads are being bladed where necessary and given a precautionary salt treatment. As at 08:22

Inverness: Roads are salty dry/damp and no gritting is required this morning. As at 09:21

Skye & Lochalsh: No problems reported apart from the area on the A855 between Duntulm and Kilmuir where overnight snow showers have caused drifting snow up to 125mm deep. The area has been ploughed, treated and side roads in vicinity have also been checked. As at 08:50

Lochaber: A slight covering of snow on the Carnoch - Lochaline (A884) road which is being treated. As at 08:54

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 10.00am this morning there are 8 secondary, 42 primary, 1 special school and 28 nurseries closed across the Highlands due to the weather conditions

For a list of the school affected and to get updates throughout the day  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.

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