‘Nothing more’ can be done to cope with extreme weather
Thursday 14th March 2013, 10:00AM GMT.
A Lagan construction truck removing snow from the runway yesterday.(Picture by Steve Sarre, 1310071)
PUBLIC Services minister Paul Luxon says there is nothing more that can be done to cope with extreme weather at the airport.
He praised the efforts being made at the airport to reopen the runway.
‘I can remember Gatwick and Heathrow and other airports being closed in similar weather conditions,’ he said
‘This is a once in a 35-year occurrence for us, due to a combination of snow, the type of snow, high winds – there is no way that an island of 65,000 people can resource itself for a one-off event. The cost would be astronomical and a lot of money would be wasted.’
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Put Rice in charge of the airport and we’ll have a fleet of brand new snowplows, complete with armour and gun racks!
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Yes but things could be done to clear the roads more efficently:
Snow Plough > Armoured Vehicle
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This is a once in a 35-year occurrence for us, due to a combination of snow, the type of snow, high winds – there is no way that an island of 65,000 people can resource itself for a one-off event. The cost would be astronomical and a lot of money would be wasted.
COULDN’T AGREE MORE !!!!
For Gods sake, please don’t start buying equipment for snow clearance !
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Surely a snow plough would be needed more often than an armoured land rover and be of much. much greater usefulness.
By the way, for comparison, the blizzard that we suffered moved on to Europe, closed Frankfurt airport and caused 1,000miles of trafic jams in Belgium. As PBF would say, “another EU shambles!!”
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I agree with Damo – Deputy Luxon has got it absolutely right. Airport closures due to weather (particularly fog) are already a fact of life over here. Of course it’s inconvenient but it’s not worth spending a fortune on.
Cher Eugene – you can argue about the usefulness of the armoured Landy but two wrongs don’t make a right.
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You people need to get new hobbies. Every time I go on these pages to see the news all I can see are a bunch of sad individuals complaining about police vehicles.
Change the record.
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Seems to me that the individuals who are really sad are the ones who go on these pages to read the news and then land up reading the comments and complaining about others who are taking the mickey about the Police Landrover ! :-)
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AJF.
are you the mechanic maintaining the landrover?
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think there is a easy answer as we get a fare bit of snow up north . farmers go out on bad days and night and use there tractors as snow ploughs all you would need is the atachment at the front left at the farm . then in realy bad weather it can be used and the farmer given rate of paye to clear a certain road
Ssimple………………………….no nead to buy expencive snow ploughs 20 tractors could clean a fare bit of snow of the roads saving money for the island
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This seems very sensible, probably far too sensible for the States to implement. Complacency that this was a one-off or once in 35 year event is misguided. The whole World’s weather has gone mad, records are being broken constantly. The only worthwhile weather prediction is that the weather will be totally unpredictable. Whether or not global warming is to blame is academic, weather mayhem is here to stay.
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That’s a good idea Brent.
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Why not stick snow ploughs on the front of the buses ?
Then the only major road left to clear would be the entire west coast ….
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Brent
Very good idea
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Well said, both Dammo and PLP. Although in my experience, this type of weather chaos happens about every 15 years (not being pedantic)there is no justification for provision of snow shifters. Everyone involved in snow clearance, ambulances, other services and all who have helped their neighbours deserve a pat on the back.
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Have to agree with Paul Luxon
Were it not for Langans help airport could have been closed even longer
Just wish road wise pavements could have been treated too ~~~ or were there too many pedestrians causing a gridlock?
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In the absence of Howard Holland I blame global warming
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I blame Rapha Benitez!
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