Push to prioritise all Leitrim school bus routes for Winter Maintenance

There have been calls to expand the Council’s Winter Maintenance Programme to include all school bus routes for improved safety.

The Winter Maintenance Programme ensures roads and footpaths remain accessible and clear during harsh weather conditions.

Cllr Pádraig Fallon emphasised the need for expansion, and proposed seeking Government funding to cover additional routes.

“I think there’s an opportunity with new Government and new ministers to seek extra funding to get an expansion,” Cllr Fallon said

He highlighted a minor incident where a school bus in the Manorhamilton Municipal District veered off the road during harsh weather conditions when the road hadn’t been treated.

Senior Engineer Terry McGovern informed Cllr Fallon that a third of schools are not on designated routes for the Winter Maintenance Programme and including all of them would not be feasible.

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He explained that funding for the programme comes from the Council’s discretionary grant, meaning that increased spending on Winter Maintenance would impact other services.         

A reply from the Roads department stated, “The Winter Maintenance Programme includes treatment of Priority one National roads and Priority two Regional roads which utilise the bulk of resources available. Priority three local roads including school routes are treated when resources are available.”

Mr McGovern added that efforts would be made to treat the unadded roads as part of Priority three.

“Leitrim County Council also make grit available at various locations for use by the public,” the reply also noted.

Mr McGovern also commented that each trip by a gritting lorry costs up to €1400.

“It must be recognised that the gritters are keeping the county open and there’s a great competence there,” Cllr Warnock commented.

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