BLIZZARDS, ice and gales will cause more misery for travellers across the north today.
Forecasters warned last night that there would be no let-up in the wintry blasts that made driving conditions treacherous across the region yesterday. A yellow “be aware” alert for snow and ice was in place for the Highlands and islands, Moray and Aberdeenshire.
Seven people were injured in a string of accidents and the key A9 route was shut for nearly six hours in the morning after a Tesco lorry jackknifed at the notorious Drumochter Pass. The crash blocked the main Inverness-Perth road in both directions, forcing police to close the snow gates at Dalwhinnie and Blair Atholl.
Ploughs and gritters had to clear the route before it reopened about noon.
Meanwhile, frustrated drivers who attempted the only alternative – the A82 Glasgow-Inverness road – were delayed by a crash at Glencoe in the afternoon.
Two women were injured in the two-vehicle collision outside the remote Kings House Hotel shortly after 12.30pm.
One suffered spinal injuries while the other had chest injuries. Both were taken to Belford Hospital at Fort William. The road was closed until about 2pm.
And just a few miles away, at Corrychurrachan, near the Corran Ferry, a car left the road about the same time.
A man with neck and face injuries and a woman suffering from stomach pains were also taken to the Belford Hospital.
Three more people were injured in a three-vehicle accident at Achnasheen, at the junction between the A832 to Garve and the A890 to Lochcarron, just after 1.30pm.
A woman in her early 20s was taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness with chest injuries, while another woman and a man were taken to Broadford Hospital on Skye.
Ferry passengers also faced delays yesterday, with some services being cancelled because of sea conditions. Others were unable to reach the terminals because of road delays.
The incidents happened amid warnings of more wild weather to come today and tomorrow.
Motorists are being urged to take care on the roads this morning because of ice.
The Met Office has also issued a yellow “be aware” warning for snow across inland areas of the region today. Strong winds could also cause drifting, making driving hazardous.
And tomorrow, the warning switches to wind, with gusts of up to 70mph forecast.
A Met Office spokesman said they could reach storm force in the west, meaning ferry travel could be further disrupted.
The Tesco lorry was heading south after making deliveries in the north when it jackknifed close to Wade Bridge on a single-carriageway section south of Dalwhinnie.
Heavy snow was reported in the area and ploughs and gritters were sent to clear the route after the lorry was removed by a recovery team.
Many people were travelling to stay with relatives and friends for Christmas or trying to reach ferry and bus terminals for onward connections.
A police spokesman said: “The incident was mainly down to the poor weather conditions and there were no other vehicles involved.”
A Tesco spokesman said: “Tesco can confirm that no one was hurt in the accident.”
Snow was falling throughout the Cairngorms National Park yesterday, creating testing conditions for drivers in the Carrbridge and Slochd areas. Despite improvements in the snow cover on the Cairngorms, however, the ski resort remained closed because of high winds.
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