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WICKLOW COUNTY COUNCIL has warned motorists that the Sally Gap area is closed to all vehicles, as roads across the Wicklow mountains have been plagued by hazardous driving conditions following heavy snow over the last few days.
Wicklow’s mountain rescue teams issued warnings on Monday asking motorists to stay away from Wicklow Mountains National Park for several days, with the Sally Gap particularly treacherous following significant snowfall accumulations on Sunday and Monday.
Local rescue organisation Glen of Imaal Wicklow Mountain Rescue said in a post online that their volunteers had been tasked to assist over a dozen people stuck in multiple vehicles on impassable roads in the Wicklow Mountains on Monday alone.
A Glen of Imaal Rescue spokesperson added that while local volunteers are “here to help”, people attempting to drive throught the area “need to take some personal responsibility”.
“This weather warning is well advertised and is due to continue for a number of days,” the rescue organisation said in a post online.
“Taking your family on impassable roads, during a weather warning, in vehicles not suitable for the conditions is just idiotic. Please take the warnings seriously.”
Wicklow County Council said yesterday that the Sally Gap Road is closed to all vehicles, and urged drivers to avoid the area “for your safety”.
“Please do not endanger members of our emergency services, who will have to attempt to rescue people who ignore the warning signs,” a council spokesperson said.
“The road will reopen when it is safe to do so.”
Speaking to The Journal, Dublin-Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team spokesperson and emergency medical technician Philip Connolly said that while the group understood the urge to visit the snowy mountain areas, accidents can happen.
“As mountaineers ourselves, we understand that people want to get out and enjoy the snow, but we ask that people check and heed the warnings from Met Éireann and don’t underestimate the conditions,” Connolly said.
“While the main arteries for local villages have been cleared by the Council, any of the main roads through the mountains are impassable in this weather, even for well-equipped vehicles. Conditions might seem fine initially but can deteriorate quickly.”
Connoly explained that the Dublin-Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team had been called out to several weather-related road incidents since Saturday.
He added that during one rescue in the Wicklow mountains on Sunday night, the team’s 4X4 all-terrain vehicle was unable to make it to the scene of the incident due to the heavy snow, meaning his team was forced to hike the last kilometre of the journey on foot.
“We advise people to be cautious and avoid getting themselves into a situation they can’t get out of. For anyone venturing into the hills, make sure to make a plan, have the right gear, and stay within your experience level.
“You can do everything right in this weather and it can still go wrong for you, so just be careful and ensure that you always have a safe way out”.
A Status Orange low temperature and ice warning remains in effect in the county until Friday morning, as temperatures are expected to drop below freezing in Wicklow tonight.
Wicklow County Council also warned that even after weather warnings are lifted or downgraded, many roads may remain hazardous for days due to a dangerous combination of rain, sleet, snow, ice, and extremely low temperatures.
Those who do run into issues are urged to call 112 or 999 and ask for Mountain Rescue, whose volunteers are on hand to respond 24/7.
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They need to be left there, there were plenty of warnings given. Once the first few die then people will get the message. The entitlement of people knowing that others (volunteers) will risk their own safety to save them is the problem
@The next small thing: While I agree to a point, it becomes an issue when there are constant warnings. people do stop taking them as seriously as they should. We had huge winds and then warnings for far less wind etc in the past 2 months. Most of the time the weather situation is not as severe as the warning and that dilutes it when there is a very valid warning like now.
@Dramafree 2023: so they went up the hills when a weather warning was issued and unbelievablely they got stuck. And now its everyone else’s fault including Met Eireann who said wait for it “DONT DRIVE IN THIS WEATHER”. Some planks out there.
I agree to a certain extent; however, I believe that weather warnings should be more localized. For example, an orange warning might be issued for high winds in Mayo, but those high winds may only be experienced along the coast and up to x km inland. While half of the county may require an orange alert, the other half might be better served with a yellow alert. I understand that issuing warnings for each town isn’t feasible, but it would be helpful to divide each county into zones and issue alerts accordingly.
Eg, an orange alert could be issued for Mayo, but people should check the app, website, or local media for more info. This approach provides the headline alert while promoting public engagement.
Also, having more private weather stations shareing information would be beneficial.
@Peter Finnigan: couldnt agree more Peter. I am in fact in Mayo. there is no snow, roads are salted and normal life is going on except the preschools have closed here and a secondary school had delayed opening to check the building this am. That really will take from the next orange warning when people will say sure remember last time there were no issues at all and off they go…Just my opinion… clearly an unpopular one! Weather has been largely awful in Mayo for last 2 months, much worse than this past week.
@Peter Finnigan: You really don’t understand meteorology, do you?
Should be left there
Are these the south city all terrain wannabes ? Leave them there till they cool down.
@JP: LOL, the 4wd with no toe bar types
@JP: are you suggesting D4 or Tallaght which is south city as the media like to say , while actually it is west dublin
@Sea Spirit: ya don’t need a toe bar to do school run in a 4 × 4 …… what else would ya be using a 4 x 4 for if ya go off road ya will get it dirty…..if you need to tow something pay a worker Johnny to do it
Should get at least 6 penalty points as well as five figure fines
They should be charged thousands to be rescued, a waste of resource. People are trapped and dying in Cork for fcks sake.
@Lance Taylor: troll alert in my name, you’ve been sussed out Buster….and I’m actually in cork now working by turner’s Cross if you’d like to come and meet me for a coffee in McDonald’s next door…
@Lance Taylor: ah you again stalker. Come on then I’ll see you there tough guy!
@Lance Taylor: but you said on another post you’ve had to walk 27kms this morning to get to work because you’ve no money didny you, so if you roughly walk 6 kms an hour at average it will be 5hrs before you get to me….lying again buster…coffee will be waiting…
@Lance Taylor: They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
Send them the bill multiplied by 3
@BarryH: send it to their insurance company!
@Helen McKernan: That’s not as off the cuff as it first seems. Why don’t the rescue services charge the people who then claim (if possible) off their insurance?
6.30am it was -3 on my dashboard, I was overtaken by a Ni reg car doing about 80KPH on a back road, some people are just thick.
@087 bed: Was there a reason you needed to mention it was an ‘NI’ car. I’m pretty sure there would be the same number of headbanger drivers in both jurisdictions.
@087 bed: of course you were
@087 bed: he was probably drunk as well
If the rescue services are called out during a weather alert for these airheads, either on the mountains or at sea, the rescued or recovered should be charged accordingly and heavily at that.
Many city dwellers with 4×4′s waiting all year to test that button on the dash with the snowflake on it…
@Jason Stack: Pointless unless they also have at least winter (not all-season) tyres and, reading the report above, maybe chains, but unless they’ve got a real (not recreational) reason to go there, just don’t.
“How am I stuck? sure I’ve a 2wd Tuscon on summer tyres, it’s a ‘go anywhere’ beast”
Given how silly a lot of people BTL on this app are, I expected some on here to be saying something like, “It’s my right to drive wherever I want, bloody government dictators closing down roads”. Or else calling the story misinformation, or some other nonsense.
Maybe this is an opportunity for us all to agree on something.
Ah no i be grand till your not . Some people have no common sense at times
@martin finnegan: There is an old saying – ” No point in being a Gobsh–e unless you show it”
The trick is, to let the car slide, then maneuver
@Peter Igloo: they go down a slight hill without a problem, when they get to the dip at the bottom there’s a hill to get up the other side, that’s when they are shagged
PRESS 2 If you stuck on the R756, then divert call to Rip.ie.
To quote Forest Gump
” Mama always said Stupid is as Stupid does”
They should pay for the costs of their rescue
Two Lance Taylors, there’s only two Lance Taylors :)
@John Brown: There was three a few minutes ago.
New Eminem song coming to the Journal “Can the real Lance Taylor stand up”
Heroes don’t want to hero!!
Sad times
Should be through not “throught”
have your say