Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has expressed her gratitude to the teams responsible for maintaining the road network during the Christmas period and the current spell of freezing weather.

Gritting crews have been deployed across the country to manage the impact of the cold snap, which has brought significant snowfall to several regions. The Department for Infrastructure currently has a fleet of 130 gritters and 12 specialist snow blowers in operation to ensure that primary routes remain accessible and safe for motorists.

Highlighting the dedication of the staff involved, Minister Kimmins said: "Staff across all our roads divisions have been working tirelessly day and night in some very difficult conditions, to keep traffic moving over the Christmas period and during this cold snap, which has seen particularly heavy snowfall in some parts of the North. "We have 130 gritters available as well as twelve specialist snow blowers available to keep traffic moving safely on main routes. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to those men and women as they are often the first traffic on many roads, leaving their own families behind to ensure we can travel safely."

The Minister also confirmed that salting operations will continue on main roads as long as the freezing temperatures persist. However, she issued a reminder to the public regarding the importance of personal responsibility on the roads.

"As this cold spell continues, we will continue to ensure that our main roads are salted and safe for the travelling public. Road safety is paramount throughout the year and particularly when the weather creates risks for road users so I would urge motorists to drive with caution, take the weather conditions into account and leave extra time for their journey."