Waterford council issue safety advice as Storm Goretti is set to land 

Waterford City and County Council is advising the public to be careful on the roads as Storm Goretti is set to hit.

A yellow weather warning for snow and rain has been issued and will come into effect from 12pm until 8pm on Thursday, January 8.

Storm Goretti is expected to bring rain, heavy at times, that will turn to sleet and snow in some places on Thursday afternoon.

Director of Roads at Waterford City and County Council, Gabriel Hynes, said: the council will treat some roads but to be careful.

“Waterford City and County Council continues to treat daily over 500 kilometres of Priority One and Two roads, to ensure that they remain safe and passable.

“However, we would urge motorists to remain vigilant when travelling, particularly at night as even on gritted roads, conditions may be challenging,” said Mr Hynes.

Priority One and Two service routes are two national road networks within Waterford, the N25 (61km) Waterford to Cork and the N72 (35km) Dungarvan to Fermoy.

Waterford roads network Winter Gritting Routes can be found on the homepage of Waterford City and County Council website.

Pedestrians are also advised to take care on footpaths which will be slippery.

Cyclists are asked to exercise caution as while key arterial routes are being treated, there are cycle routes that may not be gritted.

Members of the public can contact Waterford City and County Council’s Customer Services Desks by calling 0818 10 20 20 during normal office hours, after which calls will be transferred to the Council’s emergency services number.

The council’s key public safety messages are:

• Wintry showers and icy surfaces will lead to difficult travel conditions.
• Road conditions will be hazardous, even where roads are gritted, slow down, drive with caution, be aware of other road users and allow extra time for your journey.
• Drivers travelling longer journeys are advised to be aware of conditions right along their route, as the weather may vary significantly across different parts of the country * Public transport may also be affected by this spell of wintry weather; people are advised to check with service operators for the latest updates in their area.
• Take extra care while walking: footpaths etc. can be extremely hazardous/slippery due to ice * Check on elderly, vulnerable and isolated neighbours * People are advised to prepare for this period of severe weather including ensuring their mobile phone is fully charged to enable communication.
• Keep your phone charged and take it with you on all journeys. In an emergency dial 999 or 112 * Monitor Met Éireann forecasts and/or visit https://www.met.ie/ for the most up to date information. Information is available across social media platforms and other news media sources.
• ESB Emergency Services can be contacted at 1800 372 999. The public can monitor www.PowerCheck.ie.
• Uisce Éireann Customers can check their website and social media channels for updates and to get in touch with any issues or concerns via our 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278. People can also sign up online to free text alert system to get regular updates about their local supplies - see www.water.ie.
• People are advised to conserve water, and visit https://www.water.ie for advice * The Be Winter Ready website https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/aa78b9-be-winter-ready provides further advice on preparing for severe weather.
• Farmers are advised to take all precautions when dealing with livestock and possibly working alone.