Gritting of regional roads from Autumn welcomed

News that Meath County Council will start gritting all regional roads next autumn has been hailed as a potentially life-saving measure by local councillors.

Until now, all national primary and secondary as well as some regional roads were gritted in bad weather, but councillors were informed last week that finances will now allow for all regional routes to be gritted next winter.

Cllr Wayne Harding said the measure will save lives.

"This will make an absolutely massive difference to safety on our roads. There was the danger of someone skidding on some of those roads that weren't gritted,"

Cllr Harding said one road in particular that would be affected was the road from the gates of Slane Castle to Kilberry, a very busy road.

Cllr Paddy Meade who had proposed the purchase of a new gritter at a council meeting in September was delighted at the development.

"I had proposed getting another gritter and while I was told the money wasn't available, they said, if there was any excess money, they would purchase one and extend the routes."

"The mid term financial review showed additional money is available and the routes are now being extended.

"This is great news - there are a number of regional roads that really need to be gritted, particularly the road from Slane to Kells and the Road from Kilberry to Lobinstown, where there have been a number of accidents in icy weather.

"It will also mean the Drumconrath to Collon Road and the Lobinstown to Kingscourt road will be treated."

Cllr Meade said that roads around this area could be very dangerous in icy weather and he recalled getting into trouble when he took matters into his own hands during freezing conditions a few years ago.

"Some of the roads here were in a terrible state and weren't being gritted. All the roads around Navan were being done, but none were done here. I went up to Navan and brought a couple of bags of it home to Lobinstown."

"Since then local communities can buy a salt bin and have it filled up to use in their local areas."

Cllr Meade said he is delighted that all of the regional roads will be gritted but there are other busy local roads that should also be on the gritting route.

He would like to see the Boyne Road from Navan to Drogheda via Seneschalstown on the gritting route.

Cllr Michael Gallagher has for years been campaigning to have the R163 from Slane to Kells to be gritted as well as the Drumconrath to Carrickmacross Road.

"The Carrick to Drumconrath Road is particularly dangerous, because Monaghan County Council grit the road as far as the border with Meath.

"People who don't know the area drive along thinking they are relatively safe and don't realise they are suddenly on road that isn't gritted," he said.

Cllr Gallagher said the road from Slane to Kells is a very busy road passing by two schools, Oristown and Gormanlough so it was good news that it will be gritted.

"This will make the roads a lot safer," he said.

Cllr Noel French was delighted with the news, which he said would make a huge difference to roads in the south Meath area.

"Two in particular will benefit from this - the Laracor/ Rathmolyon/Enfield Road and the Trim to Kinnegad Road through Hill of Down and Killyon.

"Those roads are very busy and gritting will contribute to making them safer."

However, Cllr French said that drivers would still have to drive carefully.

"Gritting is a great help but in icy conditions, even when the road is gritted you cannot drive at normal speed.

"When there is ice you have to drive carefully, whether the council has gritted the road or not."