THE Department of Infrastructure has put out 60 salt boxes over the last month and has another 40 on order in order to keep the Island moving through the prolonged period of cold weather.

 
Minister Phil Gawne MHK said: "We are doing our best to keep main roads open in this extreme weather and are putting as many salt bins as possible around the Island so that people can help themselves.

"Salt is also available in the Civic Amenity Sites for people to collect. I appreciate that people will be using this salt to treat their own paths and driveways but would ask that you also take a little time to put salt on the footpath outside your property and further if possible."

 
In total there are around 525 salt boxes across the whole of the Island. The department has said it is trying to put them where residents have asked for them but that priority areas are footpaths near to schools followed by shopping and business areas.    

 
Minister Gawne continued: "The local authorities are working with us to salt the footpaths but we do have limited resources and can only really treat footpaths around very busy areas.

"Whilst the weather is due to warm up slightly this weekend temperatures may well drop again significantly next week. These conditions could be with us for some time yet and I would ask members of the public to help us out by salting the footpaths outside their own property."

Some roads have fallen victim to the weather and have had to be shut due to snow and ice. The decision to close a road is jointly made between the Department of Infrastructure and the police.

The gritters have been working long hours to treat the roads and concentrate on the main roads which take the heaviest traffic between towns and villages, the hospital, and schools.

The department tries to keep salt on the roads but once the snow and ice melt the salt is washed away.

What do you think? Are the Department of Infrastructure doing a good job or could they be doing more? Let us know by leaving a comment below: