Council offers groups free salt to counter freezing conditions

MORE than 200 community associations across Cork city have been offered free one-tonne bags of salt to help them cope with freezing weather this winter.

Cork City Council said its offer follows a review of its response to last winter’s big freeze.

Tony O’Sullivan, a senior engineer in the asset management and maintenance division of the council’s roads and transportation directorate, said the local authority has to prioritise keeping the primary traffic network open during freezing conditions.

He said it was inundated last winter with requests from community groups for salt supplies so they could treat their own roads.

The salt will come in up to one-tonne bags, and the community groups will have to provide a secure location for delivery and storage.

“The provision of the salt is primarily intended to empower local communities to help themselves during a cold spell,” said Mr O’Sullivan said.

“It is not intended for personal use, as individuals would be expected to acquire their own salt supplies.

“Once distributed to a community group, the salt will become the property of the community group.”

He said the council will not be responsible for the storage, distribution, application or usage of salt by the groups, or individuals who are members of a community group or third parties.

He said the council will not be responsible for any issues of liability which arise from the storage, distribution, application or usage of the salt.

“These are matters for each community group to whom salt has been supplied,” he said.

The council also plans a pilot scheme to install salt boxes at locations where local residents have experienced icy footpaths.

The council is now inviting suggestions from the public as to where these boxes could be located.

“Any suggested location should have an historic problem in icy conditions and have a suitable and safe area to store the salt boxes.

“Again, Cork City Council will not accept any responsibility for individuals applying or using the salt from the salt boxes or any issues of liability which arise.”

Cllr Laura McGonigle commended the council for its proactive approach.

“This is certainly a scheme that other local authorities could look to, and hopefully we will see a nationwide roll out of similar arrangements in the very near future,” she said.

“Two consecutive years of harsh freezing conditions and snow were particularly difficult for Cork citizens. However, empowering local communities to help themselves will certainly mitigate against dangerous condition for motorists and pedestrians and simply make life easier for people.”

The construction of two salt barns in Skibbereen and Ballincollig is due to be completed before Christmas, Cork County Council has said.

The local authority said the contract to build them was awarded to MMD Construction after an open tendering process.

Work on both sites began on October 24 and both barns are due to be finished by December 16, the authority said.

“Cork County Council currently has a storage capacity for 3,500 tonnes of de-icing salt [with over 2,900 tonnes in stock at present] and the construction of new salt barns at Ballincollig and Skibbereen will increase the storage capacity by a further 2,800 tonnes.”

The council said that, in the event of an exceptional weather event, it would provide warnings and local information to the public through its website, local radio and newspapers and, in the event of a major emergency, via national radio or TV.

Airport prepares

CORK AIRPORT is to install its first de-icing storage tanks in the coming weeks.

Cork County Council has given the Dublin Airport Authority planning permission to build four bulk storage tanks on the airport’s main apron.

Two double-skinned, inter-connected tanks will store 30,000 litres of a potassium acetate-based pavement de-icing fluid, which will be used to clear iced-up runway and apron surfaces.

Another two double-skinned tanks will be built on the same compound to store 60,000 litres of a glycol-based aircraft de-icing fluid. This is sprayed across the wings of iced-up aircraft to ensure their flaps, ailerons and avionics can operate safely.

A spokesperson for the airport said that the tanks should be ready for use over the winter months.

Several flights were delayed by last winter’s big freeze, and diggers were used to clear vast quantities of snow.

Despite the difficult conditions, the airport maintained all flight operations throughout December and January.