PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 5^TH FEBRUARY 2008

Winter Maintenance

Since the present cold snap began on Monday, 2^nd February, South Dublin County Council has deployed 9 gritters and spread over 300 tonnes of salt to ensure that roads in the County are kept open to traffic. This is the equivalent of the Council gritting approaching 2,500km of road in its continuing and sustained efforts to keep traffic moving in our County.

The deployment of resources is dictated by the use of the most advanced weather data provided by Met Eireann supplemented by data provided by the National Network of Weather Monitoring Stations. The Council also uses its extensive CCTV camera network and associated traffic monitoring equipment in its own Traffic Control Centre as well as the Central Control Centre in the City Council Offices to ensure that winter maintenance resources are deployed to the best advantage. The County Council has also co-operated with the National Roads Authority and their Maintenance Contractor, M50 Concessions, with regard to best use of resources on the M50. Close contact is also maintained with An Garda Siochana and other Local Authorities to ensure regional co-ordination of responses.

The winter operations are maintained on a round the clock basis and up to fifty staff can be involved at a given time in this operation.

ISSUED 5^TH FEBRUARY 2008