Big Freeze - Driving Conditions Thread

Amtmann

Not normally what this forum is about, but it could prove helpful. If you want to report treacherous conditions on a certain road, do so here. Use the route number. Similarly if you are planning a journey and want to find out what the roads are like, ask here.

Tech3

I was told the N17 was in brutal condidition between Tuam and Collooney just a few hours ago. One bus left Sligo at 2pm and arrived in Galway at 7.55pm.

corktina

Ive done kanturk to Cork City this morning (and back) roads snow covered and slippery but very passable and improving on return trip.

Biggest hazard is the 40km/h brigade....:rolleyes:

mrskinner

Rathkeale to Tralee 2 hours last night

Amtmann

M8 is very bad from Mitchelstown to Cork, but quite good from Mitchelstown to the Thurles exits.

ardmacha

Perhaps it would be better to have one thread on boards for this?
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056119950

things are probably not as bad in as Britain though

London M25 (from Sabre)

Joe10000

Tomorrow/Monday I have to do the following trip, I really need to do it for business sake but obviously not at any expense.

Castlebar
Headford
Ennis
Jetland
Newcastle West
AbbeyFeale
Tralee
Killarney
Cork city
Mitchelstown
Dublin

I am happy driving in the conditions and know it will be slow going but am I mad taking this on during this weather ? Did it a couple of weeks ago when things were bad but Cork/Kerry was not affected.

Am I mad ??

Mc Love

Abbeyfeale to Newcastlewest took me 1 hour. Barna is very very bad - take extreme care

KevR

This afternoon, the Westmeath section of the Athlone Bypass was in reasonably good condition despite heavy snowfall in the area yesterday.

The short section of the Athlone BP which is in County Roscommon was in a noticeably worse condition. Also, a lot of the M6 between Athlone and Ballinasloe (again in Roscommon...) wasn't in the best of shape - Lane 1 was ok but Lane 2 was pretty bad.

Apart from a very short section at J16 (Loughrea), the M6 in County Galway was in good condition.

popebenny16

N62 approaching roscrea from templemore clear and mostly dry. however on hill towards the roundabout there can still be icy conditions (there were at 10am) and i would imagine that this will re-freeze tonight. No sign of grit, appears to have been used within the town.

R433 is white from frozen snow in places, but with good traction, but on shaded bends may be icy. no grit on this road at all since november and i understand that none will be used. this seems to be NTCC policy despite it being a very busy enough road for an R route. from Tipp border to M8 interchange this road is very hit and miss, be very carefull from Erril to Rathdowney.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

KevR wrote: »

This afternoon, the Westmeath section of the Athlone Bypass was in reasonably good condition despite heavy snowfall in the area yesterday.

The short section of the Athlone BP which is in County Roscommon was in a noticeably worse condition. Also, a lot of the M6 between Athlone and Ballinasloe (again in Roscommon...) wasn't in the best of shape - Lane 1 was ok but Lane 2 was pretty bad.

Apart from a very short section at J16 (Loughrea), the M6 in County Galway was in good condition.

That can be attributed to negligible supplies of salt in Co Roscommon, farcical the way different sections on the one motorway can be in worse condition than others due to that particular county's supplies. One would think that a broader approach would be taken towards a major inter-urban route like the M4/M6 such as assigning it it's own gritter(s) to ensure that the roadway is in at least consistent condition everywhere.

Up this end, the Barnesmore Gap is barely passable, Letterkenny Dual Carriageway is down to one lane and very bad, roads around Derry City are treacherous due to compacted snow and ice and Letterkenny - Derry - Buncrana are poor at best. Goes without saying that all secondary routes are in extremely poor condition, and aren't likely to get better anytime soon, still the odd snow shower knocking around and temperatures didn't rise above -6 here today.

PabloMcG

Hi, I am due to drive from Dublin to Belfast to catch a ferry, and then from Stanraer to Glasgow in Scotland. Has anyone tried this in the last few days since the big freeze? Does anyone know first hand the current conditions on this route? Thanks.

popebenny16

car said it was between -9 to -11 along the N62 this morning, however road was dry and gritted within town boundaries where applicable.

R roads in North Tipp and Offaly and Laois are also in good nick, just be wary of compacted snow in selected spots on bends as usual.

of course, no gritting on anything apart from N7.

preddy

Anyone advise me on if its worth the attempt to go from Tallaght to Dublin Port then back to the N4 at 5pm?
Is town mental

dubhthach

Took me an hour and 45minutes to cover 5km from East Wall Road to Sandymount last night (left work at 5:30). In comparison I did the same trip today (left work at 4:30) in 15minutes! Alot less cars on the road allow for continous trip.

Chris_5339762

Am I utterly stupid in thinking that Dublin to Cobh would be a good idea on Christmas Eve? Or would I be much much more sensible just getting the train?

mrskinner

too early to call. the motorway from thurles to fermoy is fine. if you can get out of dublin then ok. dont know the condition of the road from Portlaoise to Red Cow. Then again the train may be full? If it does snow alot tonight I would get the train to Cork and train to Cobh tomorrow

muinteoir09

Need to drive from Dublin to Derry on Christmas day (looking at leaving around 2pm). Anyone been driving the route today and can spesk to the conditions? AA and Gardai are requesting that the M1 be avoided - is that really that bad?

Also, am I correct in assuming that the M1 and N2 will be gritted on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day?

Chris_5339762

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Am I utterly stupid in thinking that Dublin to Cobh would be a good idea on Christmas Eve? Or would I be much much more sensible just getting the train?

Did the train in the end.

30 minutes late leaving, frozen toilets + free tea/coffee, standing in the platform in mallow in -10 for a few minutes waiting for another train to arrive, managing to fit an entire intercity train onto a 3 carriage commuter train and arriving in Cork 2 hours late

7 hours door to door trip in the bad weather. Its 3 1/2 on a good day driving! It got me there though, thats the main thing.

L1011

N2/M2 in a ridiculous state. Clearly hasn't seen even the most basic snowploughing. One partially clear lane that weaves all over the place - everyones been following the ruts of the first person to drive over it after the first snowfall and they were either drunk or a bit poor at controlling the car! On the three lane section it really does weave from one wheel in the shoulder to the third lane and back again.

Seeing as its the only road of any scale in Meath that Meath CC have to manage (the M1, 3 and 4 segments in Meath all being under PPPs) its ridiculous that they've done nothing with it.

Jayuu

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Did the train in the end.

30 minutes late leaving, frozen toilets + free tea/coffee, standing in the platform in mallow in -10 for a few minutes waiting for another train to arrive, managing to fit an entire intercity train onto a 3 carriage commuter train and arriving in Cork 2 hours late

7 hours door to door trip in the bad weather. Its 3 1/2 on a good day driving! It got me there though, thats the main thing.

Sounds like a nightmare. In contrast I took the late train to Wexford on Christmas Eve. Departed on time, was practically empty so I was able to have an entire set of four seats to myself, toilets were fine, heating was a little low but not a problem. A well serviced trolley although overpriced and we arrive bang on time in Wexford.

Given the road conditions on the same route I came to a new appreciation of the train service. Maybe I was just lucky!

Chris_5339762

It wasnt too bad as I wasnt in any mad rush and expected a bad trip. Plus I had a hot Latvian girl to chat up on the train She was going down to Cork to see her boyfriend though