A major Scottish motorway has fully reopened after a series of crashes forced its closure during treacherous icy conditions, as forecasters issued a fresh weather warning for snow and ice across much of the country.
Road Reopens Following Afternoon Chaos
Police Scotland confirmed the A74(M) was closed in both directions between junctions 14 and 16 in South Lanarkshire on Thursday afternoon. The closure was a direct result of "multiple collisions due to icy conditions" on the route. Fortunately, officers reported shortly after 4pm that the road had been fully reopened and that no one required hospital treatment following the incidents.
Fresh Warnings as Recovery Efforts Continue
This disruption comes as the UK's Met Office issued a new yellow warning for snow and ice. This alert covers a large portion of Scotland, coming into force at 8pm on Thursday and remaining active until midday on Friday. It predicts wintry showers leading to patchy ice and fresh snow accumulations, affecting areas as far south as Fort William and west to Glasgow.
This follows several days of severe wintry weather that have caused significant ongoing disruption, particularly in northern Scotland:
- Hundreds of schools remain closed for a fourth consecutive day, including over 150 in Aberdeenshire, dozens in the Highlands and Aberdeen, and several in Moray and Orkney.
- Aberdeenshire Council declared a major incident on Tuesday, warning rural communities could be cut off.
- The village of Insch in Aberdeenshire was isolated after nearly a foot of snow fell, with locals describing it as one of the worst winters in 25 years.
Focus Shifts to Recovery
First Minister John Swinney stated on Thursday that the focus is now shifting from immediate incident response to recovery. He acknowledged the "formidable resources" deployed to clear key transport routes. Priority one routes in Aberdeenshire are now reported to be clear, with progress on priority two routes.
While most railway routes are open, a section between Brora and Wick/Thurso on the Far North Line remains closed, with Network Rail Scotland focusing on its reopening. On the roads, several snow gates, including at Cock Bridge to Tomintoul, remain shut.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell of Police Scotland urged the public to check on neighbours or relatives safely if possible, as some services continue to be impacted by the adverse conditions.
