Council Confirms Priority For Gritting During Wintery Weather And Urges Everyone To Take Extra Care

13th December 2023

Following a week of very icy and cold wintry weather, the Leader of The Highland Council has acknowledged the difficult conditions that recent adverse weather has created for road and footway users and is encouraging everyone to take extra care and allow additional time for journeys.

Councillor Raymond Bremner said: "Ice, thaw and freezing rain sustained over a pro-longed period of time in many areas of the Highlands have meant that our gritting crews have had to take longer getting round all the routes agreed in the Council's Winter Maintenance Policy. In some extreme circumstances local teams have to re-prioritise their work. There’s a number of things that we can do to try and help including delaying journeys or to avoid travel. I’d really like to encourage folks to take extra care and avoid or minimise risk where at all possible."

He added: “I’d also encourage folks to be extra careful even after treatment has taken place as generally the road surface temperature needs to rise a little before there is enough free moisture for the salt to work.”

Chair of the Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: “Our crews are up and out before dawn each day and treating the roads in order of priority, main routes first, secondary routes and so on. When the weather is as cold as it was last week, their work is going to take longer to completed. We thank the public for their support and co-operation and advise them that please drive to the conditions. Black ice can a very real danger at any time of the day.”

Details of the gritting routes for Primary, Secondary and Other roads for each geographical area are available on the Council’s website - https://www.highland.gov.uk/readyforwinter

The Head of Roads, Tracey Urry added: “We have the longest road network of any council in Scotland and unfortunately it is not possible to treat every road at the same time. That's why we have a priority system to treat the areas in greatest need first. We urge everyone to be extra careful when out and about in these wintry conditions and allow extra time for all journeys.”