Stay up to date with notifications from TheĀ Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Travel and transport across Scotland disrupted for fifth day due to cold weather

More than 250 schools are closed in the Highlands.

Lauren Gilmour
Friday 19 January 2024 12:54 GMT
People walk along a snow-covered beach front in Aberdeen as a yellow weather warning remains in place for snow and ice (Andrew Milligan/PA)
People walk along a snow-covered beach front in Aberdeen as a yellow weather warning remains in place for snow and ice (Andrew Milligan/PA) (PA Wire)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Travel and transport across the north-east of Scotland has been disrupted for a fifth day in a row with hundreds of schools shut as a yellow weather warning for snow and ice remains in place.

The Met Office warning is in place across much of northern Scotland until 3pm on Friday, and across the central belt, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, until 12pm.

More than 250 schools are closed in the Highlands and 60 are shut in Aberdeenshire, while others had delayed openings on Friday.

All schools in the Shetland Islands are closed and inter-island ferry services have been operating on a reduced service. Road conditions remain challenging.

Orkney Islands Council also confirmed that all of their schools would remain closed.

Fifteen schools and nurseries in Moray remain closed.

Some roads have been closed with public transport facing major disruption.

Overnight temperatures in Scotland again fell below freezing, with data indicating that the mercury dipped to minus 10C in Eskdalemuir, Dumfries and Galloway, at around 8pm on Thursday.

Conditions on the roads in the north of Scotland are still ā€œextremely challengingā€, Police Scotland said, and they advised drivers in the North Highland area only to make essential journeys.

Some local road closures are in place across the Highlands.

Service alterations have been made on train lines north of Aberdeen, with work ongoing throughout Thursday evening to clear routes of snow.

Passengers due to travel are urged to check their journey, as ScotRail say they have been unable to provide alternative transport due to the condition of many roads.

Later this weekend, an amber weather warning for wind is in place across many parts of central and southern Scotland from Sunday at 6pm until 9am on Monday.

Yellow weather warnings for wind are in place for much of the rest of Scotland, as well as yellow warnings in place for rain in Dumfries and Galloway and northern Scotland.

The storm has been named Isha by the Met Office.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in