Dangerous Driving Conditions Reported In County Clare

Many routes are said to be in a dangerous condition, particularly in elevated areas of the County where up to 4-6 inches of snow fell during a 24-hour period. Road conditions are expected to remain dangerous overnight as temperatures once again drop close to or below freezing.

ROADS UPDATE:
- Main Kilkee to Kilrush road remains dangerous as black ice has been covered with a layer of snow. The Cooraclare, Kilrush and Doonbeg roads are very dangerous and snow remains on all roads
- In the Shannon area all roads are passable with care but byroads in the Sixmilebridge area remain dangerous
- Corkscrew Hill, located between Lisdoonvarna and Ballyvaughan, is closed and many minor roads are impassable in North Clare. Main roads in the Ennistymon area also passable but the side roads remain slippery
- All roads on the Killaloe area are in a dangerous condition following fresh snowfall overnight. Caution is required on all roads, especially on hills. Main Street and Hill Road in Killaloe are closed. The hill on the bad bend at Bodyke is very dangerous.

The Clare Local Authorities (including Civil Defence and Fire and Rescue Service) are working with other public service authorities – the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Gardaí and the Health Services Executive to ensure a co-ordinated approach for dealing with the various issues. Links have also been established with Met Éireann, AA Roadwatch, Road Safety Authority, Department of Transport and the National Roads Authority to ensure that up-to-date information is available.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has issued safety advice as the cold weather looks set to continue and this advice should be heeded. Extreme caution should be exercised in all cases and particularly around frozen lakes and water. People are reminded to check on older people, people living alone, people with disabilities and other vulnerable people, as this cold spell continues.

Meanwhile, Clare County Council has announced it will be shutting off public water supplies at numerous locations this evening in an effort to conserve water. Demand has increased by approximately 20 per cent with most of the Council’s water treatment plants at or near production capacity.

Public water supplies will be affected between 8pm and 8am, until further notice, in areas including Scarriff, Tuamgraney, Tulla, Sixmilebridge, Newmarket on Fergus, Shannon Town (all areas), Cratloe, Bunratty, Kilmurray and Kilkishen (parts of Quin will also be affected).

Elsewhere, the public supply in numerous areas of Ennis will be shut off from 11pm to 6am to improve supply to the Clarecastle area and nearby parts of Ennis. Numerous housing developments will experience reduced water pressure each morning. Areas of the County Capital affected include:
- Turnpike Area including MacNamara Park, Turnpike Road, Dalcassian Park, Dalcassian Avenue, Collins Park, Glen Gardens, St. Patrick’s Terrace, Greenpark and all adjacent areas
- Avondale, Maiville, Phoenix Court, Military Barracks, Cahercalla Estate, Cahercalla Heights, Woodlands, Woodhaven, Cahercalla Road, Cahercalla Drive and all adjacent areas
- Cootes Cross to St. Flannan’s College Roundabout including Iniscarra, College Grove, College Green, Springfield Riverside, Clonroadmore Road and all adjacent areas.
Public water supply also will be restricted in the following areas between the hours of 8pm and 8am, commencing again tonight Monday 11th January until further notice:
- North Clare: Ennistymon, Liscannor, Lahinch, Lisdoonvarna and Doolin – water restrictions on a rotational basis as required.

Clare County Council is providing static standpipes at strategic locations in Ennis and Shannon. The standpipes are in operation from 8am to 8pm today and until further notice.

Static Standpipes:

Ennis
- Gort Road Industrial Estate
- Cahercalla Estate, Kilrush Road
- White Park, Cappahard, Tulla Road
- Clarecastle Day Care Centre

Shannon
- Fire Station
- Shannon Lodge Hotel, Ballycasey
-
North Clare
- Ennistymon at the Council Offices until 5pm
- Lisdoonvarna at the Square between 2pm and 4pm.

Water Tankers are deployed at the following locations:
- Newmarket on Fergus, at the church from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Sixmilebridge, at the church from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Quin, at the church from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

People should contact their local area offices during office hours (9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.) in relation to queries or anybody seeking advice pertaining to weather/roads related issues. For roads emergencies outside of office hours the council operates an emergency telephone and (087-4169496). For water services emergencies outside of office hours, members of the public should visit the Water Services section of Clare County Council’s website www.clarecoco.ie.

Contact numbers (9am-5pm):
- Ennis area office - (065) 6869534
- Ennistymon area office - (065) 7071017
- Kilrush area office - (065) 9051047
- Scariff area office - (061) 640815
- Shannon area office - (061) 362319
- Clare County Council Corporate Headquarters, Ennis - (065) 6846337

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor:
- For further information please contact Mark Dunphy of Dunphy Public Relations on 086-8534900 or media@dunphypr.com

Dunphy Public Relations
Connolly, Ennis, Co Clare, IRELAND
(Tel) 00353-868534900; (Fax) 00353-6839692; (Skype) dunphypr; (Email) media@dunphypr.com
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