COLIN Councillor Danny Baker is urging people to stay safe on the roads and footpaths as freezing temperatures and wintery spells are set to continue into the weekend.
Earlier this week, parts of Belfast woke up to a dusting of snow which was a contrast to the weather around the New Year which saw the North record its warmest New Year’s Eve on record at 14.3 degrees Celsius.
Speaking to the Andersonstown News, Cllr Baker said: “We are all seeing the impact of climate change. Month on month we are breaking records.
“Back in the summer, our weather was unbearable at some points as it was so hot. We have had a very mild Christmas but it is important that we are prepared for whatever comes our way as the climate changes.
“In parts of Lagmore, Poleglass and the wider Colin area, we would be impacted around cold weather conditions. We have our container based in Mount Eagles which serves all of the people in the Colin area.
“The container is not just for salt and grit, it also stores our sandbags which we had to use back in the summer when we had flash flooding in Colin Mill following a period of prolonged heat.
Snow arrived in Belfast on Tuesday
“We need to keep our communities resilient as we don’t know what will come our way, whether that is heat, flooding or snow.
“We need to be prepared and as Sinn Féin activists, we are ready to respond to whatever extreme weather we face.”
Cllr Baker added that it is important that agencies step up and provide resources.
"In fairness to the Department for Infrastructure," he continued. "They had all of the grit bins filled and Belfast City Council have been stocking the emergency container refilled.
"It is important the communities and agencies continue to work together to build that resilience."
Freezing temperatures are set to continue into the weekend with lows of minus three degrees on Thursday with snow on high ground.
Friday is set to bring wintery showers which will revert to rain and die out later in the day. Saturday is set to be brighter with showers and Sunday will bring some sunny spells with some rain in the evening.
