Roads Service prepares for winter weather

Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy today warned motorists to take extra care while driving, as winter approaches.
~ Tuesday, 25 October 2011

The Minister was speaking as he announced the start of Roads Service’s annual Winter Service operation. Danny Kennedy said: “Every night from now until the middle of April, we will have over 300 staff on standby to salt main roads, and helping drivers to cope with wintry conditions. Salt barns and stockpiles have been filled to maximum capacity with over 100,000 tonnes of salt. Roads Service will also provide approximately 4,200 salt bins and almost 40,000 grit piles on public roads.

“When ice or snow is forecast, we have 135 gritters available to salt the main network, which carries 80% of the traffic. Each treatment of grit takes just over three hours, which is a massive logistical exercise that costs over £70,000 each time it takes place.

“It is extremely difficult to predict what nature will throw at us. We must always be ready for exceptional weather conditions like last year when we experienced the worst winter in over 100 years. Nowhere escaped the impact of the adverse weather last year and gritting operations continued around the clock to keep main routes open.”

While understanding the concerns of those who use the more lightly trafficked roads that are not included in the salted network, the Minister explained that it is simply not practical to salt all roads.

Danny Kennedy said: “Roads Service’s limited resources must remain targeted on busier routes carrying most traffic. Last year it cost £10million to grit the main routes. It would cost more than £35million to grit all roads in Northern Ireland, in a similar winter. In addition, if we were to grit the pavements during the winter season, it would cost more than £600,000 for each treatment.”

The Minister also said he was aware of the difficulties experienced by the public on town centre footways last year and he hoped partnership agreements with Councils would ease these difficulties. He said: “Several weeks ago I announced that my Department had reached an agreement, in principle, with Northern Ireland Local Government (NILGA) and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE). I am hopeful this will lead to the roll out of local agreements with each council.

“For Councils availing of the agreements, my Department will make salt and grit available free of charge to Councils, supply manpower, where resources permit and provide an indemnity to Councils or groups working on their behalf.”

The Minister warned that even with the most careful and thorough planning, the use of special Met. Office forecasts and the latest ice prediction technology, Winter Service is really a battle against the elements and ice-free roads cannot be guaranteed. Danny Kennedy said: “Motorists have to play their part by taking extra care during wintry conditions. The best advice is in the Highway Code – drive with care even if roads have been salted, be prepared for road conditions changing over short distances and take care when overtaking gritters.”

Roads Service engineers use the latest technology to help them make informed decisions about salting operations. This includes ice sensors linked to 22 weather stations across Northern Ireland and thermal mapping of all roads on the network. The Met Office uses information from these stations along with their own data to provide forecasts which are transmitted to engineers’ computers.

Roads Service also tries to ensure that motorists are kept fully up to date with road conditions at this time of year. Information on salting activities is relayed electronically to the media to ensure the latest news on road conditions is available to motorists.

Andrew Murray, Roads Service Director of Network Services said: “During periods of prolonged snow, all gritters will be fitted with snow ploughs and Roads Service will spread salt at up to three times the normal rate. But clearing snow is much more difficult than dealing with frost because of the large volume of frozen material.

“Roads Service’s Snow Contingency Plan means that efforts will be directed to clearing snow from motorways and the trunk roads, before moving to other main roads and the busiest urban link roads. The operation will continue until all roads are cleared, but this may take some time, even with all resources deployed. In very deep snow, Roads Service will use its nine snow blowers, the latest of which can shift 1,600 tonnes of snow an hour. Arrangements are also in place to enlist the help of contractors, including farmers, to clear blocked roads.”

Roads Service advises the public to prepare for the annual winter battle with the elements. De-icing salt is available in DIY centres and from trade suppliers, for use on private property. Commercial property owners in particular, should now consider their own arrangements to stock salt, to avoid being caught unprepared.

The Roads Service winter service leaflet is available by calling 028 9054 0540 or from the website at: http://www.drdni.gov.uk/index/roadsni-3.htm

Notes to editors:

1. DRD Roads Service salts main roads carrying more than 1,500 vehicles per day, as well as other busy routes with special difficulties (e.g. steep hills) that carry over 1,000 vehicles per day. In applying the criteria, service buses and school buses get a high weighting – a 40 seater bus is counted as 40 vehicles. Small settlements of more than 100 dwellings each have a salted link via the shortest route to the salted network, and consideration is given to placing grit piles or salt boxes at hills, bends or junctions on roads that are not gritted.
2. Further advice on preparing for winter can be located at http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/winter
3. Media queries to Department for Regional Development Press Office, Tel 028 9054 0817. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.