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11/11/2013
Winter Roads Service Launched
Regional Development Minster Danny Kennedy is calling on all drivers to be prepared for the challenges of winter driving.
The announcement follows the launch of the Winter Service programme to facilitate safe driving across Northern Ireland over the coming months.
From now until the middle of April, Roads Service will have almost 300 staff and over 130 gritters on standby every night.
The staff aim to ensure that over 7,000 kilometres or 4,400 miles of roads across Northern Ireland are treated with salt in around three and a half hours.
Over 800 tonnes of salt is used on average for treating the entire route just once. Roads Service has reserves of 110,000 tonnes of salt, which are topped-up regularly during the winter.
Almost 5,000 salt bins and 50,000 grit piles have been strategically placed on roads not included on the salted network.
Minister Kennedy said: "Our main effort will be to keep the motorways and trunk roads open. We will then focus on other main roads and busy urban link roads. As we seen earlier this year, even our best efforts can be hampered by heavy and sudden falls of snow.
"In addition to treating icy roads, during prolonged periods of snow, all salt spreading machinery will be fitted with snow ploughs."
The Minister said everyone has a role to play and is calling on drivers to prepare by ensuring that their vehicles are fit for purpose.
"Such a huge operation comes at a cost of up to around £80,000 every night the service is delivered," he said.
"Drivers have a vital part to play, prepare now, take extra care during wintry conditions especially if overtaking salt spreading machinery and expect to allow extra time for journeys. Quite simply, if the conditions dictate that you need to travel at half your normal speed, then it will take you twice as long to reach your destination."
Information on salting and the latest road conditions is available on the Traffic Watch website.
(IT/CD)
The announcement follows the launch of the Winter Service programme to facilitate safe driving across Northern Ireland over the coming months.
From now until the middle of April, Roads Service will have almost 300 staff and over 130 gritters on standby every night.
The staff aim to ensure that over 7,000 kilometres or 4,400 miles of roads across Northern Ireland are treated with salt in around three and a half hours.
Over 800 tonnes of salt is used on average for treating the entire route just once. Roads Service has reserves of 110,000 tonnes of salt, which are topped-up regularly during the winter.
Almost 5,000 salt bins and 50,000 grit piles have been strategically placed on roads not included on the salted network.
Minister Kennedy said: "Our main effort will be to keep the motorways and trunk roads open. We will then focus on other main roads and busy urban link roads. As we seen earlier this year, even our best efforts can be hampered by heavy and sudden falls of snow.
"In addition to treating icy roads, during prolonged periods of snow, all salt spreading machinery will be fitted with snow ploughs."
The Minister said everyone has a role to play and is calling on drivers to prepare by ensuring that their vehicles are fit for purpose.
"Such a huge operation comes at a cost of up to around £80,000 every night the service is delivered," he said.
"Drivers have a vital part to play, prepare now, take extra care during wintry conditions especially if overtaking salt spreading machinery and expect to allow extra time for journeys. Quite simply, if the conditions dictate that you need to travel at half your normal speed, then it will take you twice as long to reach your destination."
Information on salting and the latest road conditions is available on the Traffic Watch website.
(IT/CD)
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27 October 2011
Only Major Roads To Get Winter Clearances
NI motorists are being warned to take extra care on winter roads - and while pedestrians are being supported with more town and city pavements set to be cleared this year - minor roads will again not be treated at all.
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NI motorists are being warned to take extra care on winter roads - and while pedestrians are being supported with more town and city pavements set to be cleared this year - minor roads will again not be treated at all.
26 January 2004
Roads Service prepared to deal with snowfalls
Prepared to deal with heavy snowfalls, the DRD Roads Service in Northern Ireland have been on special alert since Sunday, following an advanced warning of possible snow from the Meteorological Office.
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09 November 2005
Roads service prepares for severe winter
Following the Met Office's early warning that Northern Ireland may be in for the coldest winter in a decade, the Roads Service has said it is preparing for the worst.
Roads service prepares for severe winter
Following the Met Office's early warning that Northern Ireland may be in for the coldest winter in a decade, the Roads Service has said it is preparing for the worst.
09 May 2006
Roads Service to spend £6M on improvements
The Roads Service is to invest £4 million into the Armagh district and £2 million in the Newtownabbey area over the next twelve months, it has been revealed today.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:It will be cloudy again throughout the day. Mainly dry in the morning, but patchy drizzle in places, becoming more widespread and persistent in the afternoon. Freshening southwesterly winds. Maximum temperature 12 °C.Tonight:Cloudy with a spell of heavy rain pushing south through late evening and the early hours, followed by some clear spells. Minimum temperature 6 °C.
