Rural freeze misery
Thursday, 14 January 2010
A Royal Mail post van broadsided on the Ballinlea Road after slipping on the icy road.
Temperatures are set to rise gradually this week after one of the most prolonged wintry periods in 30 years.
The Met Office has predicted that temperatures in Ballycastle will remain above freezing with a high of 7C expected on Saturday.
The news that a thaw may be in sight will be welcome relief to many people who have been left isolated by ice packed roads.
Those living in rural areas were especially affected by the sub-zero temperatures because untreated roads became almost impossible to pass.
Jackie Colgan, who lives on the Ballinlea Road outside Ballintoy, said that she felt 'forgotten about'.
Last Wednesday, the road between Ballintoy and Ballycastle was relatively clear but conditions changed dramatically after turning off the main route.
Drivers were faced with roads covered in layers of compacted snow and ice and cars could only crawl along due to the icy surface underneath.
After witnessing a post van broadside outside her house and a bin lorry sliding down the road, Jackie pleaded with the authorities to grit the road and it was eventually treated.
Jackie said: "When I rang first I was told there was not enough traffic using the road for it to be gritted but what about the people who do use the road and who live on it."
School buses were also unable to service the road.
Forgotten
Jackie said: "I felt very annoyed because it seems that because we live in the country-side we are forgotten about."
She said that people trying to carry out their jobs, like the binmen and the postman, were having to put their lives at risk.
Subscribe to read full newspaper »
Send to a friend
Please complete the following form to inform a friend about this page.
