CO COUNCIL VOWS TO KEEP TRANSPORT DISRUPTION TO A MINIMUM DURING COLD SNAP

PETER HUGHES

The measures being taken by Monaghan Co Council to ensure transport disruption is kept to a minimum in the county during the current spell of low temperatures were outlined in a lively discussion at Monday’s meeting of the local authority. At the meeting’s outset, Cathaoirleach David Maxwell (Fine Gael) referred to the drop in temperature experienced at the weekend and the treacherous state of the roads in the county that morning. He paid tribute to the Council management and outdoor staff on their response to the weather, noting that double salting runs had been carried out on both Saturday and Sunday nights.

The Cathaoirleach said that, in accordance with a decision taken by the Council members two-three years ago, when a bout of cold weather lasted over three days a policy of salting footpaths in towns kicked in and that would now happen from that morning onwards. Acting Director of Transportation Services Gareth McMahon said that low temperatures were experienced on Sunday night and precipitation occurred between 5-6 am on Monday morning which was not forecast and this created a problem on roads that were not treated. Roads that were treated had held up and all national and regional…