Motorists have been warned to be extra careful over the next few nights, with temperatures set to plummet and road workers still on strike, meaning many roads will not be gritted.
The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has urged road users to be extra careful on the roads this week as a period of cold weather arrives and industrial action by members of the GMB and Unite unions continues.
The Department’s delivery of Winter Service (gritting of the road network) will be disrupted this week as there are insufficient staff available to run both an am and pm gritting rota.
A precautionary grit of higher ground routes, most at risk, has taken place this afternoon. Gritting of the scheduled network is to take place overnight. Road users are asked to exercise extreme caution when driving, particularly on untreated roads.
In addition to Winter Service, other essential services which are routinely delivered by DfI staff on the road network may also be disrupted. This includes:
Response and clear-up operation when there are incidents on the road such as oil spills or unexpected debris
Repair of serious defects such as manhole collapse or potholes
Gully clearing and cleansing
The Department continues to work with the Department of Finance and the unions involved to try and resolve the issues around pay.
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