Cllrs call for Duleek school to be included on gritting map after icy blasts hit county

A PROPOSAL to include the road from Duleek village to the local national school on the gritting map got full support at last week's Laytown/Bettystown Municipal District meeting.

Cllr Wayne Harding made the proposal following concerns from residents in the area who had to contend with dangerous driving conditions during the icy spell last

week and this week.

In response, Meath Co Council suggested that members request that the Transportation SPC conduct a feasibility study regarding the possibility of gritting roads with schools located on them that are in close proximity to roads that are already on the gritting route.

“I have had a number of complaints in relation to the dangerous condition of the road during the recent sub zero temperatures,” said Harding.

“Duleek school is surely one of the largest schools in the county that is not included on the gritting map with 750 children attending,” he added.

“Like we put in low cost safety measures at schools where there is a school that has a big population that is the case in Duleek, we go school by school and look at putting them on a gritting route.

“Road safety is a crucial issue and when it involves the transport of 750 children daily we must put all the resources at our disposal possible to remedy this dangerous situation.”

Fianna Fail Cllr Stephen McKee also supported the call for the road from the village to Duleek NS to be included on the gritting map.

“It was crazy earlier in the week with the black ice, I fully support the suggestion that we engage with the SPC on it,” he said.

“There can't be a situation where there is a one size fits all, you have to take every road on its merit. I think all of the primary school roads should be gritted but you could have an order of priority in terms of needs and certainty Duleek should be on a gritting road, given its location and proximity to the

village.”

Meanwhile Cllr Paddy Meade highlighted an incident in Lobinstown that left motorists stranded as a result of treacherous conditions.

“The L1604 and the L5600 were two of the roads that were blocked on Monday and for over four hours people sat in their cars,” said Cllr Meade.

“Thankfully tractors locally were able to bring them up and down and eventually the council came and gritted the roads. People in my area are very upset about that and the hours they were stuck in their cars. The village was essentially shut for four hours.”