An inclement start to 2010 follows a windy and icy finish to 2009 as road and rail services were disrupted yesterday due to the continuing cold snap.
Hazardous road conditions were reported across the country with flooding in counties Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow while high winds meant trees and debris added to the difficulties for motorists.
The warnings to motorists to drive carefully came as the National Roads Authority once again raised the issue of a shortage of grit for the country’s roads.
Train services were also affected yesterday. All services to and from Heuston Station in Dublin were delayed by up to 40 minutes yesterday due to flooding on the line at Hazelhatch in Co Kildare. Services between Limerick and Ennis Stations had to be suspended due to flooding there, with Iarnrod Éireann operating bus transfers for passengers.
Motorists faced the toughest conditions yesterday but the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Garda Síochána welcomed the news the number of road deaths in the country had fallen to an historic low in 2009. As of yesterday morning there had been 240 deaths on Irish roads, down from 279 in 2008. The RSA said the figure was still too high and that every death was a "devastating" tragedy for the families of those concerned, in addition to the injuries caused to people in accidents.
RSA chief executive Noel Brett said: "We are absolutely delighted the downward trend has continued for four years in a row and the credit for that must go to road users the length and breadth of the country."
He said speed cameras, a reduced drink-driving limit, reforms of the licensing system and more gardaí monitoring the roads would help lower the number further in 2010.
Weather conditions are likely to prove extremely challenging in the coming days, however, as Met Éireann warned that temperatures could fall to -10C in some parts of the country.
Gerald Fleming of the Met Service also said some parts of the country may not experience temperatures above freezing for a number of days.
"It is a more prolonged cold spell than we would be used to in the past few years," he said.
Polar air sweeping over the country will mean daytime temperatures might struggle to climb above freezing, while nighttime temperatures could fall to as low as -10C.
The midlands are likely to experience the worst of the cold spell, but plummeting temperatures are likely to affect most of the country. In some parts of the north west, north and east coast areas there will also be blustery, wintry showers to contend with.
"Tomorrow and the next few days will be bitterly cold," Mr Fleming said.
"It is a pronounced cold snap and through next week it will continue with cold and wintry showers."
While the whole country faces freezing weather, it is likely to be much drier for many parts than of late, although frost is still likely to make travel by road difficult.
Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/prolonged-cold-snap-to-continue-into-the-new-year-108801.html#ixzz1lPEzEuns
Hazardous road conditions were reported across the country with flooding in counties Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow while high winds meant trees and debris added to the difficulties for motorists.
The warnings to motorists to drive carefully came as the National Roads Authority once again raised the issue of a shortage of grit for the country’s roads.
Train services were also affected yesterday. All services to and from Heuston Station in Dublin were delayed by up to 40 minutes yesterday due to flooding on the line at Hazelhatch in Co Kildare. Services between Limerick and Ennis Stations had to be suspended due to flooding there, with Iarnrod Éireann operating bus transfers for passengers.
Motorists faced the toughest conditions yesterday but the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Garda Síochána welcomed the news the number of road deaths in the country had fallen to an historic low in 2009. As of yesterday morning there had been 240 deaths on Irish roads, down from 279 in 2008. The RSA said the figure was still too high and that every death was a "devastating" tragedy for the families of those concerned, in addition to the injuries caused to people in accidents.
RSA chief executive Noel Brett said: "We are absolutely delighted the downward trend has continued for four years in a row and the credit for that must go to road users the length and breadth of the country."
He said speed cameras, a reduced drink-driving limit, reforms of the licensing system and more gardaí monitoring the roads would help lower the number further in 2010.
Weather conditions are likely to prove extremely challenging in the coming days, however, as Met Éireann warned that temperatures could fall to -10C in some parts of the country.
Gerald Fleming of the Met Service also said some parts of the country may not experience temperatures above freezing for a number of days.
"It is a more prolonged cold spell than we would be used to in the past few years," he said.
Polar air sweeping over the country will mean daytime temperatures might struggle to climb above freezing, while nighttime temperatures could fall to as low as -10C.
The midlands are likely to experience the worst of the cold spell, but plummeting temperatures are likely to affect most of the country. In some parts of the north west, north and east coast areas there will also be blustery, wintry showers to contend with.
"Tomorrow and the next few days will be bitterly cold," Mr Fleming said.
"It is a pronounced cold snap and through next week it will continue with cold and wintry showers."
While the whole country faces freezing weather, it is likely to be much drier for many parts than of late, although frost is still likely to make travel by road difficult.
Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/prolonged-cold-snap-to-continue-into-the-new-year-108801.html#ixzz1lPEzEuns
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