Cork City Council Crews Continue Salting Roads as New Ice Warning Takes Effect

Cork City Council is continuing its Roads Winter Plan operations as a new Met Éireann Status Yellow warning for low temperatures and ice across Munster takes effect, with crews maintaining priority routes until 09:00 tomorrow morning.

The council deployed gritters to treat main traffic routes, bus corridors, and areas adjacent to hospitals and schools across both the northside and southside of the city in response to an earlier warning this morning.

Motorists are being warned to expect treacherous travel conditions, with temperatures falling to between -1 and -3 degrees, sharp frost, icy stretches, and black ice. The warning is valid from 11:00 today until 09:00 on Tuesday, 6 January 2026.

Cork City Council's winter maintenance programme runs from mid-October to mid-April each year. The authority has prioritised defined salting routes that cover major thoroughfares including key city centre bridges and arterial routes such as the Kinsale Road, Ballincollig Road, and Blackpool areas.

On the northside, gritting operations include routes from Western Road through the city centre, extending to Mayfield, Blackpool, and out to Dunkettle Roundabout. Southside crews are treating routes from Ringmahon Road through Douglas, Togher, Wilton, and Bishopstown, with the South Ring Road being maintained separately by Cork County Council.

City centre bridges receive particular attention, especially in areas of greatest pedestrian movement, helping to protect both motorists and pedestrians from icy conditions.

Crews will remain on standby throughout the duration of the warning period to respond to any emerging hazards on treated routes.

Cork City Council makes salt available to community groups and resident associations to treat problematic local areas. Applications can be submitted through the council's online system for groups wishing to grit footpaths or residential areas not covered by the main salting routes.