The provincial government is rebuffing opposition concerns about a lack of 24-hour snow clearing services.

PC MHA Loyola O’Driscoll first raised the alarm about the issue last week.

He says there are workers who have to be on the roads at all hours of the day, and not having 24/7 snow clearing is putting them in harm’s way.

In a statement, the Department of Transportation contends that there is 24-hour snow clearing along 14 of the most travelled routes in the province.

In other areas, they say crews start reporting to work as early as 4:30 in the morning, and stay on the roads as late as 10 p.m.

In case of emergencies, government says staff are on call to clear routes and escort emergency personnel after hours.

As well, the province notes that 24/7 snow clearing has never been a part of normal operations, noting that between 2008 and 2016 a 24-hour snow clearing pilot was implemented for high traffic areas of the TCH and major trunk roads throughout the island portion of the province.

24-Hour Snow Clearing Operations via Department of Transportation and Infrastructure:

Avalon Region:
24/7
Route 1 (TCH) – Logy Bay Road to Foxtrap (Includes the Outer Ring Road)
Route 2 (Pitts Memorial Drive/CBS Bypass) – New Gower Street to Seal Cove
Route 3A (Team Gushue Highway) – TCH to Topsail Road
24/5 (Sunday-Thursday)
Route 1 (TCH) – Foxtrap to Whitbourne
Route 75 (Veterans Memorial Highway) – TCH to Carbonear

Eastern Region:
24/5 (Sunday-Thursday)
Route 1 (TCH) – Whitbourne to Clarenville

Central Region:
24/5 (Sunday-Thursday)
Route 1 (TCH) – Gander to Grand Falls Windsor
Route 350 (Botwood Highway) – TCH to Botwood

Western Region:
24/5 (Sunday-Thursday)
Route 1 (TCH) – Deer Lake to Stephenville (Exit 3 – Route 460, White’s Road)
Route 430 (Great Northern Peninsula Highway) – Deer Lake to Rocky Harbour (through Gros Morne National Park – Parks Canada Jurisdiction)
Route 450/450A (Lewin Parkway/Ring Road)
Route 460 (Port au Port Highway) – TCH to the Stephenville Cold Brook Depot