The Department for Infrastructure’s winter safety service is fully operational and ready to keep people moving on our roads.
Around 300 staff and 130 gritters are available to salt main roads to keep traffic moving safely and freely. Twelve specialist snow blowers are also available to be deployed if required.
Colin Sykes, Director of Road Asset Maintenance, said:
“Every year our winter service operation remains in place from October to April to ensure 7,000 kilometres of the road network on the salting schedule remain open. With snow and ice forecast for this week and some disruption on our roads possible, staff are ready to be deployed as necessary.
“We have around 74,000 tonnes of salt in stock and in addition over 5,500 salt bins and 58,000 grit piles are also available for use by the public on a self-help basis on selected routes not included on the salting schedule.”
Continuing, Mr Sykes said:
“Despite our best efforts it is important to remember that we cannot guarantee ice-free roads even after salting. We all need to be mindful of the changing conditions and adjust the way we drive, ride or cycle to ensure it is appropriate for the conditions.
"The best advice is in the Highway Code, take extra care even if roads have been salted, be prepared for road conditions changing over short distances and take care when overtaking gritters.”
Information about road conditions is available at: www.trafficwatchni.com
Information and advice, including about driving in adverse weather conditions, can be found at:
As part of the winter service, the Department salts the main through routes which carry more than 1,500 vehicles per day.
In exceptional circumstances, roads with difficult topography carrying between 1,000 and 1,500 vehicles daily will also be salted. This means that 28% of the road network will be salted, directly benefiting around 80% of road users.
As in previous years, arrangements are in place to enlist the help of contractors and local farmers to assist in efforts to clear blocked roads in the event of significant snow.