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A yellow ice warning remains active as the cold weather persists, potentially causing further disturbances throughout Tuesday. This follows a weekend marked by severe wintry conditions, which led to the closure of approximately 200 schools on Monday, mostly across the northeast and northwest regions. On Tuesday, more than 180 schools announced closures, continuing the disruption caused by icy roads and footpaths.
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for ice that is in force until 10:00 GMT on Tuesday, cautioning people to be vigilant due to treacherous untreated surfaces. As a result of these conditions, numerous Translink bus services have been affected. Some routes, such as the metro service from Belfast to Blackrock and Lagmore View, are impacted, and buses in Magherafelt and Cookstown may not be able to travel on untreated roads. Other affected services include the Ulsterbus 128 between Carnlough and Ballymena, the 218 which will miss Drumadoon Park and Ride, and certain school buses which will only operate on gritted main roads in areas including Ballycastle, Ballymoney, Kilrea, Limavady, Coleraine, and Armagh. Additionally, the 158 bus service in Larne has been suspended until further notice.
Schools continue to face significant challenges under these weather conditions. For example, St Brigid’s Primary School in Tirkane, County Londonderry, remains closed, impacting 250 pupils. Principal Ursula O’Hanlon described the decision to close the school as one made with “great consideration,” emphasizing concerns about the lingering snow and ice. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster program, she said, “Nobody wants to be responsible for opening a school and hearing then that someone had an accident.” She also noted the impracticality of asking parents to send children to school when buses are unable to safely access local routes.
Efforts to maintain road safety are ongoing, though treating rural roads presents considerable challenges. Paddy Lavery, a principal engineer at the Department of Infrastructure, explained that more than 300 staff members are deployed to keep main roads clear. However, rural areas require special treatment plans based on criteria such as historic weather patterns near schools, the size of buses serving the area, and vehicle traffic volumes. Lavery added, “there is an application process for rural roads to be treated” with over 50 schools covered under these special arrangements, which also include hospital entrances. He acknowledged, however, that unexpected issues make it hard to incorporate rural roads into the existing gritting schedule. Meanwhile, across the Republic of Ireland, Met Éireann has issued a yellow warning for low temperatures and ice nationwide, with a snow-ice alert also active in Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo until early Tuesday morning
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