Highland Council winter road condition and school closure report for Thursday 7 December 2017

7th December 2017

Road condition reports by The Highland Council's Community Services for the morning of Thursday 7 December 2017 are as follows:

Caithness and Sutherland: Most roads are affected by snow and ice. Treatment in progress.

All roads are passable with care. 09:19

Ross and Cromarty: No issues overnight. This morning there are strong winds and wet roads. Treatment of the Bealach na Ba and Dundonell to Breamore Junction started this morning due to low tempratures and the forecast for snow. All costal routes are being checked due to expected tidal surge later today.09:15

Skye, Lochalsh and South West Ross: Positive road surface temperatures throughout the area so no gritting treatments underway but all crews are on standby. 09:05

Lochaber: There was some localised flooding overnight. On the B863 crews are clearing debris on the carriage way near Invercoe. A tree is down at the edge of the carriage way near Colasnacon which staff are also clearing. 09:05

Badenoch and Strathspey: Strong gusts of wind across the area which has wet roads with wintery showers. Crews are treating high with salt ahead of the forecasted ice, sleet and snow. 08:32

Nairn: Strong gusts of wind across the area which has wet roads with wintery showers. Crews are treating high with salt ahead of the forecasted ice, sleet and snow. 08:44

Inverness: Wet roads throughout the area but no problems reported. 08:06:00

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.

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: All of the following schools and any associated nurseries are closed today due to bad weather.

Bower Primary:

Brora Primary:

Brora Primary

Bualnaluib Primary

Canisbay Primary:

Castletown Primary:

Crossroads Primary

Dunbeath Primary:

Durness Primary:

Farr High School:

Farr Primary (Sutherland):

Gairloch Primary

Golspie High School

Golspie Primary:

Halkirk Primary:

Keiss Primary:

Kinlochbervie High School:

Kinlochbervie Primary:

Kinlochewe Primary:

Lairg Primary:

Lybster Primary:

Melvich Primary:

Newton Park Primary

Noss Primary:

Pennyland Primary:

Poolewe Primary:

Reay Primary:

Rogart Primary:

Rosehall Primary:

Scourie Primary:

Thrumster Primary:

Thurso High School:

Tongue Primary:

Watten Primary:

Wick High School:

Total schools closed:

Secondary schools: 5 (1788 pupils)

Primary schools: 29 (2013 pupils)

Nurseries: 17 (237 children)

Visit the school closures website for up-to-date information at www.highland.gov.uk/schoolclosures - the page is updated from 7am and cleared each evening. 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.