Statement from the Department for Infrastructure about Industrial Action this week

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has urged road users to be extra careful and to be prepared for potential delays in the event of unforeseen incidents ahead of planned industrial action by members of the GMB and Unite unions.

The strike action by industrial staff who work on the roads network is due to commence on Monday (February 27).   As a result, there will be a reduced level of the essential services which are routinely delivered by DfI staff on the road network. This will affect many of the road maintenance functions that, as road users, we largely take for granted including:

• Delivery of our winter service, which includes gritting the road network
• Response and clear-up operation when there are incidents on the road such as oil spills or unexpected debris
• Repair of serious defects such as manhole collapse or potholesGully clearing and cleansing

While contingency arrangements are being put in place, this will not replace the full maintenance service and we would therefore ask all road users to be mindful of this and exercise care when making their journeys.

The Department continues to work with the Department of Finance and the unions involved to try and resolve the issues around pay.

Members of the public should continue to report defects on the road network via NI Direct: Problems with roads and streets | nidirect    

Notes to editors: 

1. Winter service: The Department will monitor the long range weather forecast and should a frost occur will update media outlets on what level of gritting, if any, will take place
2. Incident response: As a result of the on-going industrial action the Department will be slower to respond to incidents on the road network such as obstructions, oil spills etc. This will mean the road users may experience additional delays and disruption.
3. Defect repair: As a result of on-going industrial action the Department may be slower to make safe or repair some defects such as potholes that occur on the road network. Road users should therefore take extra care when making their journeys.
4. To Note: The DBFO network, which includes motorways, the A1 and the A4, is not affected by industrial action.
5. The industrial action is in relation to particular issues around the remuneration of this group of DfI staff. 
6. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office at: press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
7. Follow the Department on Twitter @deptinfra and on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure
8. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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