Network Rail snowploughs continue to tackle heavy snow across northern Scotland

Network Rail’s snowploughs continue to battle heavy snowfall across northern Scotland, with several key lines remaining closed as crews work around the clock to clear the tracks.

A yellow weather warning from the Met Office remains in place today, with frequent heavy snow showers affecting northern regions. The alert is set to extend across the entire country tomorrow. Lines currently closed due to snow drifts include Inverness to Wick/Thurso, Inverness to Kyle, Inverness to Aberdeen, and Aberdeen to Dundee.

Specialist teams have been deployed to the affected routes, with snowploughs and ice-clearing equipment working continuously to restore services. Network Rail’s meteorologists are closely monitoring forecasts to support these operations.

Gary Hopkirk, route programme director at Network Rail Scotland, said:

“Careful planning for the winter months means we have measures in place to help keep trains and passengers moving during cold snaps where it’s safe to do so. Deep snow can pose a serious risk to the railway, and when snow depth exceeds 30cm, trains can’t run safely unless fitted with snow ploughs. Our teams are working as hard as they can, however, in some parts the snowdrifts are forming as quickly as we’re clearing them. We’ll only reopen lines and return to normal operations once we’re confident it’s safe to do so. We appreciate the patience of passengers while we manage the impact of this heavy snowfall.”

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, added:

“Despite the challenging weather conditions in the north of the country, the majority of the ScotRail network remains open, and we’re working closely with our Network Rail colleagues as efforts continue to safely restore services where heavy snow is impacting the railway. The Met Office yellow weather warning for snow and ice has been extended until Tuesday, 6 January, covering the entire country. Conditions can change quickly, so we’d encourage customers to plan ahead and check their journey before travelling. We’d like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding while this vital work continues, and we’re doing everything we can to keep people moving safely.”

Image: Network Rail