Glenshane Pass: overturned lorry now at side of road and incident ‘passable with care’
Motorists are advised that an earlier overturned lorry on the Glenshane Pass between Dungiven and the Ponderosa is now at the side of the road, taped off by police and awaiting recovery.
Trafficwatch Ni says the incident is passable with reports of slow but moving traffic in this area (08:35, on Wednesday, November 20).
Referring to the North-West of the province, it added: “Snow continuing to fall across the high grounds - gritters are out again this morning on the high ground routes around Limavady (08:25).”
Meanwhile, Police have issued an appeal to motorists to ensure their vehicles are winter ready with a yellow warning for snow and ice in place until 10.00am on Wednesday, November 20.
In a statement, the PSNI said: “Please take extra care on the roads this morning especially on those which may not have been gritted.
"Clear your windscreen of ice and snow before you set off and remember to slow down and increase the distance between you and the car ahead.”
Trafficwatch NI said: “Salting of roads on the scheduled network at risk has been undertaken overnight, road users are advised to exercise caution when travelling, particularly when driving on untreated roads.”
Around 300 staff and 130 gritters are available to salt main roads across Northern Ireland. Twelve specialist snow blowers are also available to be deployed if required.
Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd said: “Every year our winter service operation remains in place from October to April to ensure 7,000 kilometres of the road network on the salting schedule remain open.
“We currently have around 74,000 tonnes of salt in stock and in addition over 5,750 salt bins and 72,500 grit piles are also available for use by the public on a self-help basis on selected routes not included on the salting schedule.”
As part of the winter service, the department salts the main through routes which carry more than 1,500 vehicles per day. In exceptional circumstances, roads with difficult topography carrying between 1,000 and 1,500 vehicles daily will also be salted. This means that 28% of the road network will be salted, directly benefiting around 80% of road users.
As in previous years, arrangements are in place to enlist the help of contractors and local farmers to assist in efforts to clear blocked roads in the event of significant snow.