Residents of Hveragerði, a small town in South Iceland, feel that the Ring Road over Hellisheiði heath is closed far too frequently due to weather. Many feel experienced drivers on well equipped cars should be allowed to drive the heath, while inexperienced drivers or people driving cars which are not equipped for winter driving should be stopped.
Alot of people who live in Hveragerði go to work or school in Reykjavík, and have to commute daily across Holtavörðuheiði heath, which separates the capital region and South Iceland. The frequent closing of the heath has caused considerable frustration among these daily commuters. One resident told the local newspaper Morgunblðið that while it made sense to keep foreign visitors driving poorly equipped rental cars off the heath, experienced drivers should be allowed to cross.
Read more: Yet again: Parts of Ring Road closed due to severe weather
During the last two days Hellisheiði heath has been closed most of the time during the past two days due to severe weather, strong winds and heavy snow. The heath is closed to allow snowplows to clear the road and to minimize the need to rescue people from the heath. Cars which get stuck on in snow on the heath slow down the time it takes to plow the road and delays its opening.
Earlier this month the IRCA and ICE-SAR requested police assistance to man the road closing and keep drivers from entering the heath. More than a hundred vehicles had refused to respect the closing, driving onto the heath. ICE-SAR then spent several hours rescuing these people from the heath after their cars got stuck in the snow. Due to stranded vehicles on the road IRCA was unable to clear the road, delaying its re-opening.
Read more: Police called to assist ICE-SAR enforce road closures: Drivers insist on entering closed roads
A Hveragerði resident who spoke to the local newspaper Morgunblaðið said that the IRCA was going too far, saying the heath has been closed when anyone driving a decently equipped car should be able to cross without trouble. He said that the residents of Hveragerði understand why the IRCA wants to keep poorly equipped cars from attempting to cross the heath in bad weather, but feel that there should be exceptions.
The mayor of Hveragerði told the local newspaper Fréttablaðið that the residents understand that the road has to be closed when it is impassable or when conditions are dangerous. However, the IRCA, she said, needs to find ways to keep the road open.
Residents of Hveragerði, a small town in South Iceland, feel that the Ring Road over Hellisheiði heath is closed far too frequently due to weather. Many feel experienced drivers on well equipped cars should be allowed to drive the heath, while inexperienced drivers or people driving cars which are not equipped for winter driving should be stopped.
Alot of people who live in Hveragerði go to work or school in Reykjavík, and have to commute daily across Holtavörðuheiði heath, which separates the capital region and South Iceland. The frequent closing of the heath has caused considerable frustration among these daily commuters. One resident told the local newspaper Morgunblðið that while it made sense to keep foreign visitors driving poorly equipped rental cars off the heath, experienced drivers should be allowed to cross.
Read more: Yet again: Parts of Ring Road closed due to severe weather
During the last two days Hellisheiði heath has been closed most of the time during the past two days due to severe weather, strong winds and heavy snow. The heath is closed to allow snowplows to clear the road and to minimize the need to rescue people from the heath. Cars which get stuck on in snow on the heath slow down the time it takes to plow the road and delays its opening.
Earlier this month the IRCA and ICE-SAR requested police assistance to man the road closing and keep drivers from entering the heath. More than a hundred vehicles had refused to respect the closing, driving onto the heath. ICE-SAR then spent several hours rescuing these people from the heath after their cars got stuck in the snow. Due to stranded vehicles on the road IRCA was unable to clear the road, delaying its re-opening.
Read more: Police called to assist ICE-SAR enforce road closures: Drivers insist on entering closed roads
A Hveragerði resident who spoke to the local newspaper Morgunblaðið said that the IRCA was going too far, saying the heath has been closed when anyone driving a decently equipped car should be able to cross without trouble. He said that the residents of Hveragerði understand why the IRCA wants to keep poorly equipped cars from attempting to cross the heath in bad weather, but feel that there should be exceptions.
The mayor of Hveragerði told the local newspaper Fréttablaðið that the residents understand that the road has to be closed when it is impassable or when conditions are dangerous. However, the IRCA, she said, needs to find ways to keep the road open.
