Infrastructure Minister pays tribute to gritting teams working through winter cold snap

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has paid tribute to road gritting teams for their efforts in keeping Northern Ireland’s main routes safe during the Christmas period and the current spell of severe winter weather.

Gritting crews have been operating throughout the festive season and during an ongoing cold snap that has brought heavy snowfall to parts of the Northern Ireland, placing increased pressure on road services and frontline staff.

Thanking workers across the Department for Infrastructure’s roads divisions, the Minister highlighted the commitment shown by staff working long hours in challenging conditions.

“Staff across all our roads divisions have been working tirelessly day and night in some very difficult conditions, to keep traffic moving over the Christmas period and during this cold snap, which has seen particularly heavy snowfall in some parts of the North,” she said.

The Minister outlined the scale of the winter operation currently in place, with significant resources deployed to maintain safety on key routes.

“We have 130 gritters available as well as twelve specialist snow blowers available to keep traffic moving safely on main routes,” she said.

Ms Kimmins acknowledged the personal sacrifices made by those working on the roads while others spend time with their families.

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to those men and women as they are often the first traffic on many roads, leaving their own families behind to ensure we can travel safely,” she said.

As winter conditions continue, the Minister reassured the public that efforts remain focused on keeping major routes safe while urging drivers to take responsibility when travelling in difficult weather.

“As this cold spell continues, we will continue to ensure that our main roads are salted and safe for the travelling public,” she said.

“Road safety is paramount throughout the year and particularly when the weather creates risks for road users so I would urge motorists to drive with caution, take the weather conditions into account and leave extra time for their journey.”

According to the Department for Infrastructure, winter service prioritises main through routes carrying more than 1,500 vehicles per day.

In exceptional circumstances, roads with challenging topography and traffic volumes between 1,000 and 1,500 vehicles daily may also be treated.

This approach means that around 28 per cent of the road network is salted, benefiting approximately 80 per cent of road users, as crews continue to balance safety, resources and severe weather conditions across the network.