DfI team prepared to deliver winter service - Kimmins

Date published: 18 November 2025

A  Met Office yellow warning is now in place from midnight tonight until noon tomorrow with wintry showers likely to bring some icy patches and possibly lying snow on higher ground.

Preparations have been underway in recent months to ensure the winter service can be delivered with around 300 staff and 130 gritters available to salt the main roads to keep traffic moving safely and freely. Twelve specialist snow blowers are also available to be deployed if required.

Minister Kimmins said: 

“Prior to the start of each winter service season, my Department carries out a significant amount of pre-planning to ensure a state of readiness. Staffing arrangements have been finalised, pre-season checks on winter service equipment are now complete and salt stocks have been replenished.

“Our winter service operation remains in place from October to April and every night up to 300 people will be on standby ready to salt around 7,000 kilometres of the main road network main roads helping drivers to cope with the wintry conditions.

“This year I have allocated funding of £ 7.3 million to ensure that my Department can deliver a full winter service programme to help keep our roads safe during snow and icy conditions. With temperatures set to dip this week and some disruption on our roads possible, staff are now being deployed as necessary.

“We currently have around 70,000 tonnes of salt in stock and in addition approximately 5,850 Salt bins and 52,300 grit piles are also available for use by the public on a self-help basis on selected routes not included on the salting schedule.”

As part of the winter service, the Department salts the main through routes which carry more than 1,500 vehicles per day. In exceptional circumstances, roads with difficult topography carrying between 1,000 and 1,500 vehicles daily will also be salted. This means that 28% of the road network will be salted, directly benefiting around 80% of road users.

As in previous years, arrangements are in place to enlist the help of contractors and local farmers to assist in efforts to clear blocked roads in the event of significant snow.

Continuing Minister Kimmins said: 

“During wintry weather my staff work round the clock to grit the roads and keep traffic moving but despite our best efforts it is important to remember that we cannot guarantee ice free roads even after salting. The current Met Office weather warning also coincides with Road Safety Week and is a timely reminder that we all need to be mindful of the changing conditions and adjust the way we drive, ride or cycle to ensure it is appropriate for the conditions. The best advice is in the Highway Code, take extra care even if roads have been salted, be prepared for road conditions changing over short distances and take care when overtaking gritters.”

Information about road conditions is available at:  TrafficWatchNI - Home

Information and advice, including about driving in adverse weather conditions, can be found at: nidirect - Driving Adverse Weather Conditions.