Ourense, November 6, 2023.- The subdelegation of the Government in Ourense has held today the Commission for the implementation in Ourense of the Winter Plan on the roads of the State for the 2023-2024 campaign. During the meeting, chaired by the Secretary General of the subdelegation, Manuel Arias, the signing of the new protocol was carried out whose main objective is that, in case of adverse weather conditions, reduce the number of sections with movement restrictions. Immobilizations of vehicles will be reduced and avoided, or if necessary, minimize their duration.
The protocol will be active from November 1 to April 30 next year and will have 23 snowploughs in the province of Ourense. At the beginning of the campaign, 5,534 tons of salt and 110,000 liters of brine will be stored in the conservation centers of the State of Ourense Road Demarcation, which will be replenished as the campaign progresses.
On the human side, the device will have the mobilization of 60 people (drivers, technicians and operators) to guarantee road traffic and its conservation. They will be joined, when necessary, by the 118 agents of the Civil Guard Traffic Group. This year, the Government will maintain special surveillance in the highest mountain areas, as well as on the A-52 motorway.
The event was attended by the head of civil protection of the subdelegation of Ourense, Brais Pérez González; the lieutenant head of the Traffic detachment of the Civil Guard of Ourense, Juan Carlos Nogueiras Iglesias; the provincial head of Traffic of the DXT of Ourense, David Llorente Rey; the head of the State Roads Unit in Ourense, Álvaro Rodríguez Aguiar; the territorial delegate of the Xunta de Galicia in Ourense, Gabriel Alén Castro; the territorial head of the Provincial Corps
In addition, collaboration with the State Meteorological Agency is maintained in the monitoring of adverse meteorological episodes. Thanks to this cooperation, device managers will be able to have real-time data on the evolution of predictions in order to be able to make operational decisions more quickly and effectively.
Winter Plan
The purpose of this protocol is to establish the organization and procedures of action of the services, means and resources of the General Administration of the State available in the area of Galicia that, in the face of the forecast of precipitation in the form of snow or other extreme weather situations, it is necessary to mobilize to ensure the fluidity of traffic in the State Road Network (2,500 kilometers between motorways -AP-9 and AP-53-, motorways and conventional roads).
The document specifies the procedures for action and coordination that will be put in place when an adverse weather forecast is received and during its development with the definition of the particular mechanisms of each phase of the same: alert, pre-emergency and emergency. The mechanisms of information, coordination and cooperation with the organs and authorities of the Xunta de Galicia and the different local administrations are also specified.
In addition, the Plan identifies the stretches of roads that may be more contentious in the event of snowfall, the Forward Command Posts to be established; parking areas for heavy and light vehicles, in the event of closure or movement restrictions, and the Conservation and Exploitation Centers where snowploughing machines and other equipment are located.