'Councils are not responsible for provision of grit''

In a statement issued on social media, the local authority says: “Councils are not responsible for the distribution or provision of grit, grit boxes or the gritting of the road, street or pavement network.

“To request grit for your area, you need to report it to DfI (Department for Infrastructure) Roads using their online tool on the NIDirect government services website.

“You can also report an issue with ice or snow on a road by email or phone (for emergencies only) by using the contact details on the Department for Infrastructure Roads page.”

Meanwhile, a three-year Memorandum of Understanding signed last October between the council and DfI will see “clearing priority pedestrian footways of snow and ice during prolonged periods of winter weather” in Mid and East Antrim town centres – Larne, Carrickfergus and Ballymena as well as Broughshane, Ahoghill and Portglenone.

Other outlying villages – Ballygally, Glenarm, Carnlough, Glynn, Ballycarry and Islandmagee – are included in the priority two pavement scheme.

A report presented to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council by DfI Roads Northern Division, last month, said roads in Mid and and East Antrim were salted 65 times during the 2020/21 winter season using 5,053 tonnes of salt.

Depots based at Kilwaughter in Larne and Ballykeel in Ballymena saw 599 kms of road salted using nine gritters. Salting is completed in just over three hours.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter