Dessie Ellis
Question:1178. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to publish a winter gritting map for use by motorists when deciding their route during the winter period. [37811/15]
View answerTuesday, 3 November 2015
Questions (1178, 1179)
Dessie Ellis
Question:1179. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to put a winter ambassador programme in place to support local efforts by a range of stakeholders, including rural post offices and An Garda Síochána, to get food and fuel to homes where people may not travel when roads are ice-bound, or to help get school routes salted within local communities. [37812/15]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1178 and 1179 together.
My Department has been working closely with our transport agencies and with other Government Departments and agencies in preparing for the winter ahead. Arising from this work, the annual "Be Winter Ready" campaign will be launched next week under the auspices of the Office of Emergency Planning. As part of the campaign, a Be Winter Ready guide will be published which will give information and advice to householders, including information and advice for the elderly and infirm and their families and neighbours.
In parallel with this campaign, my Department publishes a Transport Information Guide on its website www.dttas.ie which contains a range of relevant transport related contact details to assist the public. The Guide will include links to the winter maintenance plans of each Local Authority.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland also publishes on its website (www.tii.ie) traffic related information. This provides the general public with road traffic information that Transport Infrastructure Ireland collects on a daily basis and is designed to help the road user to plan their journeys safely in advance so as to avoid any unnecessary traffic delays. It also provides all road users with current road conditions.