Hit hard by extreme weather at the end of winter 2017/18, those responsible for Scotland’s trunk road network have worked to test out new techniques during a winter that has proved a lot less dramatic – but isn’t over yet. The 2018 ‘Beast from the East’ saw the Met Office issue its first red weather warning for snow in the devolved nation since the introduction of the colour-coded warning system. As traffic on the M80 came to a standstill, ministers including first minister Nicola Sturgeon criticised HGV firms for what they saw as ill-advised journeys in the conditions.

Gordon Mackay’s two-year term as chair of the Society of Chief Officers of Transport in Scotland (SCOTS) comes to an end in May. Transport Network catches up with him to talk winter service, collaboration and all things transport. It’s been an exciting time for transport in Scotland,’ Mr Mackay says as he looks back over his spell as SCOTS chair.

Andrew Lupton, sales director at Econ Engineering Ltd, the UK’s largest manufacturer of gritters and salt spreading vehicles, takes the temperature of the Scottish winter service market with Transport Network.

A warm welcome to the Highways preview of the Cold Comfort Scotland conference and exhibition. This event has helped drive the debate in the Scottish winter service sector for six years now and naturally this time will be no different. Compared to the recent extreme seasons, this winter may have been milder, but there is still much to talk about. In fact after many marginal nights we recently saw a burst of snow, creating pressure at the end of the season and underlining the reason to never be complacent. As ever, the safety of the travelling public is high on the Cold Comfort Scotland agenda.

Registration is now live for both Cold Comfort 2019 and Cold Comfort Scotland 2019 – Transport Network’s annual winter maintenance conferences.

Dublin Airport has taken delivery of 27 new KL-V wedge snowploughs from Aebi Schmidt to help prepare the airport for the rigours of this winter following its experience last winter when the infamous ‘Beast from the East’ produced some of the worst weather conditions in living memory.

With icy weather set to hit the UK later this week and into next week, and temperatures forecast to be well below zero, Transport Network – publishers of Highways and Smart Highways magazines and a leading highways and transport event company – has reviewed the nation’s readiness for all that winter has to throw at it.

Roads minister Jesse Norman has warned against complacency in managing winter salt stocks, telling councils that his officials will be keeping a close eye on them.

Councils have 1.4 million tonnes of salt stockpiled in preparation for winter, and have an average of nine full-size gritters each, a new survey has revealed.

Highways England has rolled out the first of a fleet of new gritters that employ the latest technology and are designed to stand out in winter conditions.

There may have been a heatwave in Britain this summer but Highways England has been busy using this time to prepare for when the weather turns cold.

Highways reports from the National Winter Service Research Group’s (NWSRG) workshop on forthcoming changes to its guidance. The NWSRG’s workshop took place on the outskirts of Exeter on a mild day in September, six months after Devon was heavily hit by snowfall as the Beast from the East’s cold air hit the damp air of Storm Emma.