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Road Gritting

Answer

The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has written to the hon. Gentleman in response to these questions.Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 7 November 2006:"You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Parliamentary Questions about at what temperature DRD Roads Services deploys road gritting vehicles, and what the lowest recorded temperature was in Derry on the night of 2 November 2006; and how many road gritting vehicles were deployed in Derry on that night. As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.""Roads Service endeavours to deploy road gritting vehicles before ice or frost forms on the road, however, I can advise that ""there is no specific temperature at which Roads Service initiates this action. This decision is dictated by a number of factors including:""road temperature forecasts;""road temperature in comparison to the dewpoint (the temperature at which air condenses); and""the presence of other sources of moisture, e.g. standing water on the road surface, or wet conditions.""Additionally Roads Service will not generally spread salt on dry roads, as moisture is required for ice to form, or during periods of rain due to the probability of wash-off.""I can confirm that the minimum temperature recorded in Derry on the night of 2 November 2006 was 0C and the road condition was dry.""However an inspection by staff discovered hoar frost on the Foyle Bridge and one road gritter was deployed."

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

100361; 451 c1250-2W

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Northern Ireland Roads Snow and ice

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk