Roads Service update on winter service response

The operation of snow clearing during the recent severe spell of winter weather has been continuing with all available Roads Service plant being deployed to assist the areas worst affected. 

These operations have been enhanced by the introduction of over 130 items of large plant including tracked excavators and quarry shovels provided by private contractors and Rivers Agency. 

Over the last few days crews have been gritting around 7000km of our roads in a single run. Roads Service vehicles spread around 1000 tonnes of salt on every run at a cost of £80,000. Routes are often salted three times during the night equating to a cost across Northern Ireland of around a quarter of a million pounds.

Roads Service has provided the following details which are current as of tonight 25 March.

• The salted network in Western Division is 100% clear of snow and the unsalted network is 99% clear;
• The salted network in Northern Division is 100% clear of snow and the unsalted network is 89% clear. Northern Division has experienced the worst of the severe weather and can confirm that today 97% of its totals network is now enabling the movement of traffic;
• The salted network in Southern Division is almost 100% clear with the exception of Spelga pass which is in the Mournes. On the unsalted network 96% is clear;
• The salted network in Eastern Division is over 95% clear whilst the unsalted network is over 90% clear.

These figures are changing hour by hour as Roads Service continue to make every effort to ensure the full network is accessible to traffic as soon as possible.