Concern over salt and grit stocks

TEMPERATURES are expected to rise in the coming days, according to Met Éireann but driving conditions remain treacherous on some of the county’s roads after a week of sub-zero temperatures.
Fine Gael TD Joe Carey said that many of Clare’s roads were in “a very poor state and that co-ordinated action is required if driving conditions are to improve”.
Deputy Carey claimed salt and grit stocks are running low and, given the number of secondary roads in County Clare, many people are worried about the ability of authorities to deal effectively with the impact of the weather.
“It is also very important, particularly given the economic climate, that the streets and footpaths of our main towns and villages are kept clear. Businesses have had a tough enough year as it is without making accessibility a factor for shoppers in the weeks before Christmas,” he added.
Jim Higgins Fine Gael MEP for Ireland North-West added his voice to concerns over the lack of road grit being delivered to rural communities this week.  
“Last year, we experienced similar weather, I would have hoped that our local authorities would have learned from past experiences and ordered sufficient quantities of road salt,”  he said.
“The NRA, who took over the purchase and distribution of salt to all local authorities this year, have announced that they have already depleted their entire year’s supply, with no hope of replenishment until after Christmas,” he added. 
The NRA are urging local authorities to use sand on local roads but it would appear that this has not been done.
“I have heard reports of elderly constituents spreading sand on local roads to provide some level of grip. I have been contacted by constituents who cannot get to work, who cannot leave their housing estates and whose children cannot get to school – their worlds have grounded to a halt – because their county councils won’t grit their roads and walkways,” he added.
The spokesperson for Clare County Council said it has distributed grit to local groups in certain circumstances.
“The Department of Transport recommendation regarding the distribution of grit to local communities is that such a practice is worth considering in the event of a prolonged severe weather event. While the situation in other parts of the country was certainly prolonged, any significant impact on roads in Clare manifested itself more recently. Therefore, the concept of wide-scale distribution of grit to communities in Clare would not have been justified up to now – notwithstanding same, some distribution was facilitated where particular circumstances justified it,” he concluded.