By 
GRITTING teams have again been out this morning across Tyrone as the cold snap continues.
The focus has been on keeping main routes open.
Many schools in the county have been closed because of the artic conditions, which has led to a major decrease in traffic on local roads.
However, many secondary and rural roads have not been gritted and this has resulted in treacherous driving conditions.
Motorists have been urged to exercise extreme care and allow extra time for their journeys.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has thanked the gritting teams for their work.
“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,” she said.
“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.
“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.”
