Local authorities struggle as commuters face chaos

COMMUTER traffic was choked yesterday as stretched local authorities struggled to cope with the big freeze.

And the National Roads Authority has instructed local authorities to mix salt with sand to make dwindling supplies last longer. Some local authorities are using up to five times their normal amount.

Heavy snow, freezing sleet and rain and compacted ice were blamed for increasingly difficult road conditions yesterday.

As Dublin Airport battled to keep flights operating, icy road conditions in Cork forced the closure of part of the city’s main motorway for over an hour.

In the capital, Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus keep most routes operating on main roads and the Luas was running limited services.

Flight schedules into and out of Dublin and Cork Airports were disrupted, mostly due to weather conditions at British airports, but Irish Rail said its inter city, Dart and commuter services were operating normally.

Bus services and travel by car were reported to be worst in the east of the country.

The conditions worsened yesterday morning after fresh overnight snowfalls of between 5cm-10cm (two to four inches) fell across the west, and north west, and swept west across the midlands.

Met Éireann warned there is no sign of a let-up with the freezing temperatures expected to hang over the country for up to a week.

Experts are predicting temperatures to begin to rise from next Wednesday.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen led tributes last night to state-employed workers, especially those who have been gritting roads, the emergency services and hospital staff for their efforts over the last week.

“It is at times like these that the true sense of public service shines through. I believe it is important that these efforts are acknowledged,” he said.

In Cork city, conditions were extremely hazardous on the N25 South Ring Road after early morning rainfall in the subzero conditions froze on contact with the ground.

Gardaí were forced to close the flyover at the Kinsale Road roundabout at 10am after several minor accidents blamed on black ice.

County council salting lorries were called to the scene, and tow trucks cleared the damaged cars, but it was almost an hour before traffic began to move again.

There were also reports of dozens of minor accidents on approach roads, including an eight-car pile-up near Na Piarsaigh GAA club, and a six-car pile-up near Carrigtwohill, as well as in the city centre and suburbs, but there were no reports of any serious injuries.

Driving conditions were also hazardous across the south and west of the county, with roads in the Bantry, Skibbereen, Lissarda, Macroom, Kilumney, Crossbarry, Innishannon and Halfway areas worst hit. In east Cork, the roads around Midleton, Whitegate, and Castlemartyr were badly affected, as were roads around Watergrasshill north of the city.

The county council has 20 vehicles deployed in salting/gritting operations and they are treating roads on a prioritised basis. The most critical roads — which account for about 60% of all traffic and 80% of all commercial traffic — are being treated daily. They are liaising with gardaí on blackspots.

It is also providing 6mm grit to local communities from its depots in west Cork.

Most city centre roads were clear, but hilly areas, particularly on the northside, and several footpaths, were treacherous underfoot.

Fota Wildlife Park closed for the day for health and safety reasons. Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) closed at lunchtime.

The CIT Cork School of Music also cancelled all classes, lessons and rehearsals for the weekend. The CIT CSM Parents' Association Children’s Christmas Party due to take place today has also been cancelled.

All outdoor sports facilities at University Colleges Cork’s Mardyke and Curraheen arenas will be closed for the weekend.

And the Cork Chamber annual Christmas lunch at Maryborough Hotel was postponed until next Thursday.

Hundreds of schools, colleges and institutions remained closed, with up to one in five employees not making it to work in the cold.

Gardaí have appealed to motorists not to make journeys unless absolutely necessary.

They urged those who do decide to drive to exercise extreme caution, to drive slowly, and to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

Picture: Heavy traffic on the westbound lanes of the South Link Road, Cork, when it reopened after a section had been closed. Picture: Denis Minihane