Highland Council sets out robust Winter Maintenance Plan for Black Isle and Easter Ross

The Winter Maintenance Plan for Black Isle and Easter Ross was approved by members of the Area Committee who met on Monday 11 August 2025.  

The comprehensive Winter Service Plan for 2025/26, reaffirmed its commitment to keeping communities safe and connected during the colder months. 

The plan sets out the Council’s priority routes, treatment schedules and resourcing strategy for gritting, snow clearance and emergency response between October 2025 and April 2026. 

Across Highland, over 6,700km of roads and nearly 1,200km of footpaths are included in the Council’s winter treatment network. Around 100 frontline staff, 105 gritters, 7 snowblowers and 46 footpath tractors will be on standby as part of a well-practised and locally informed approach across Highland’s 23 depots. 

The winter service for the area is provided from the following depots: 

• Greenhill

• Tain 

• Alness 

The Council has already stockpiled 50,000 tonnes of salt in preparation for freezing conditions and continues to work closely with local communities and partners through its established resilience networks. 

The Plan also supports sustainable practices, including the strategic use of technology, route optimisation, and strong links with national weather forecasting agencies. Lessons from recent severe weather events have informed this year’s approach, with flexibility built in to respond to local needs as conditions demand. 

The 2025/26 Winter Service Plan will be reviewed in April 2026 to inform next year’s planning cycle. 

Treatments 

The plan outlines the Council’s flexible approach to road and pavement treatments. Using a combination of pre-treatment and post-treatment methods, priority routes will be gritted or ploughed based on daily forecasts and real-time local assessments. 

Treatments will be carried out using a combination of salt and brine, with a focus on efficiency and environmental sustainability. Ploughing will be prioritised during heavy snowfall, and areas of persistent frost or ice will receive repeat treatments as required. The plan also allows for daytime treatments where conditions warrant, helping to ensure that roads and footways remain safe throughout the day—not just during early morning hours. 

Community Self-Help 

The Council encourages communities to self-help as much as possible and to generate awareness of people within their community that may need assistance. 

Community self-help is also being encouraged under the Council’s Winter Resilience scheme, whereby communities can apply via their community council to carry out footway gritting operations within an agreed area. 

The Council will provide the community with salt/grit, bins, scrapers and reflective waistcoats. It is important to note that this does not replace the service provided by the Council but allows the community to provide an enhanced level of service. 

The Council also provides, on request, salt/ gritting services for key strategic local service providers, including hospitals, health centres, fire stations, airports, train stations etc. 

Councillor Lyndsey Johnston, Chair of the Black Isle and Easter Ross Committee, said:  “The Highland Council’s Winter Service Plan is a vital blueprint that ensures we are ready to respond when winter weather hits. Our communities can be assured that we have the people, the plant and the plans in place to keep the Black Isle and Easter Ross area moving. I want to thank our staff, local contractors and volunteers who go above and beyond every year to keep roads and footways safe – often in extremely challenging conditions. 

“The Highland Council has an approved list of priority routes for treatment. I’d encourage people living or working in the area to look at the gritting maps so they know what to expect during the winter months.”