TRANSPORT:THE GOVERNMENT's emergency planning taskforce has again advised people not to make unnecessary journeys, as freezing and dangerous conditions will continue until at least the weekend.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey and members of the taskforce met yesterday at the Office of Emergency Planning headquarters in Dublin.
Michael Egan of the National Roads Authority said he was “very confident” there was sufficient salt to treat roads. Currently, about 2,000 tonnes of salt are being used each day.
Mr Egan said the organisation was working closely with the local authorities to make sure roads were treated. But he warned that those authorities were “simply not in a position to keep every road in the country free of ice and snow”.
About 750 council workers were helping to clear footpaths in villages and towns, said Michael Phillips, director of traffic with Dublin City Council.
He asked people to use public transport as much as possible, as the “main priority” for the authorities was to ensure such transport continued to operate safely.
Andrew McAlinden of Bus Éireann said the “vast majority” of its services were operating as normal, with some delays. He said the company would make every effort to maintain as many services as possible over the coming days.
It was also in close contact with local authorities and gardaí.
With regard to school transport, there were many closures in the northwest, Leinster, Cork and Kerry.
Mr McAlinden said a lot of school services operated on secondary roads that were impassable, but the company would maintain as many as possible.
Dublin Bus spokeswoman Clíodhna Ní Fhátharta said services operated with some curtailments yesterday, including restrictions to bus routes in the foothills of the Wicklow mountains and in some housing estates.
“It is our intention to keep services operating, weather permitting and we have a team of staff out there from very early in the morning until late at night assessing the road conditions.”
Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny said all services continued to operate yesterday. Mr Kenny said there may be some minor delays as points were cleared of snow.
Works planned for Limerick Junction next weekend, which would have necessitated bus transfers for passengers, have been cancelled.
They are now scheduled for the following weekend.
For transport updates see: transport.ie, buseireann.ie, dublinbus.ie, irishrail.ie and aaroadwatch.ie.