Residents of a Wester Ross township have criticised council gritting services after they were left with near-impassable roads for six days.
Highland Council said that Diabaig, near Torridon, had been gritted yesterday afternoon.
But until then, villagers had been relying on people with 4x4s keeping them stocked up from the shops since last Friday.
Christine Davies of Diabaig said: “Kenny Morrison, the butcher from Gairloch, got someone to come down to the village in a 4×4. He took everyone’s orders and then had them delivered.
“People haven’t been able to get to work, it’s only 4x4s capable of travelling.
“It is absolutely shocking, and leads me to believe that Highland Council doesn’t want rural communities anymore. We are obviously a pain in their backside. What with school closures, no public transport, shocking repairs to the roads, no houses for youngsters, I sense the second Highland clearances happening courtesy of Highland Council.”
Andrew Peacock of the local community council added: “It is hard compacted snow and ice which during the day briefly melts for a couple of hours and turns to slush and then 4x4s will get through.
“I fell and went flat on my back.
“I notice the gritter has now been, I don’t know how many of my phone calls and emails that took.”
A Highland Council spokeswoman said last night: “Council staff have been working flat out across the region to keep routes open and safe. A new gritter for the Diabaig route has been collected by the area team this afternoon and the route has now been treated.
“Routes are treated as stated within the council’s agreed policies. Roads are gritted according to their classification of primary, secondary or other routes. Primary routes are gritted Mondays to Saturdays 6am to 9pm and on Sundays and public holidays from 7am to 9pm. Secondary routes are gritted following the completion of primary routes and are gritted Mondays to Saturdays from 6am to 6pm within available resources. Other routes are treated as resources permit. In extreme conditions all efforts are made to keep primary routes clear.
“We are experiencing a period of very low temperatures, with rain falling on ice. We have been experiencing temperatures of -10c in places in the past week. It is important however to note that salt is 50% less effective when the temperature drops below -4 degrees C and is ineffective below -8 degrees.”
