My experiences of snow and gritting in Stockport

December 22, 2009 Iain Roberts 20 Comments

Having spent perhaps more time than most out and about in the last two days, I thought I’d share what I’ve seen around our area in the way that Stockport’s responded to the snow (which, as I write, is falling heavily again).

Please use the comments to share your experiences too.

I was out at around 9am on Monday morning. At that time the roads weren’t all completely clear, but none that I drove on was especially slippery and all were easily passable. I spent the day driving and walking around Gatley, Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Bramhall and Woodfood and found much the same story.

By late morning all the major and minor roads were pretty clear and people were being sensible on the residential roads.

I was also pleased to see refuse and recycling collections, along with public transport, going ahead pretty much as normal.

Grit boxes were being refilled (this morning I passed the lorry refilling the one by Gatley car park).

Some people have expressed concern about the amount of salt being spread on the roads. Others have seen the salt being spread.

Of course, one real question we politicians have to ask is how much money we want to devote to dealing with this bad weather, which may hit us once every year or two. The Council can invest in more gritters and the like, but that means cutting something else or raising taxes – neither of which we take lightly, to say the least.

Again, I’d be interested to know whether people feel Stockport’s got the balance right, or whether the Council should be investing more in dealing with the bad weather.

See also my other posts on this issue, plus the comments made on each:

Snow, travel and services on 6th Jan

What gritting was done on the night of 23rd December in Stockport?

Stockport’s been gritting over the weekend before Christmas

How’s Stockport done on gritting (26th Dec)

Ice in Stockport – now we need to tackle the cul-de-sacs

Stockport ice and gritting update, 4th Jan

environment, streets

20 Comments

Tony

Tuesday 22 December 2009 - 2:17 pm

Were you on a different planet. I was about all day Monday. I live in Cheadle Hulme and the roads were atrocious. No gritting had been done.

iainroberts

Tuesday 22 December 2009 - 3:40 pm

Hi Tony, no, not a different planet. I was out and about on Turves Road, Gill Bent Road, Ack Lane West, Ravenoak Road etc. I didn’t see people skidding around and sensible drivers didn’t appear to be having problems.

If your experiences were different, please say – I can only be honest about what I did and saw.

Gordon

Tuesday 22 December 2009 - 3:55 pm

Good of you to offer comments Iain. I live in Cheadle Hulme and have been really struggling on all roads lately. I have seen no evidence of gritting and would now find it extremely difficult to get out of my road. This weather is worse than usual but I am dissapointed at the council’s seeming lack of action.

iainroberts

Tuesday 22 December 2009 - 4:07 pm

Having driven to and from Cheadle Hulme this morning and this afternoon, Turves Road and Gill Bent Road seemed clear.

I know that, as elsewhere in the country, the gritting machines don’t cover residential roads – we just have to be careful on those (steeper ones should get grit boxes, though I know some that probably should get them haven’t done).

If you let me know which road you’re on, Gordon, I’ll pass your concerns onto your local councillors.

David

Tuesday 22 December 2009 - 4:20 pm

I think Solutions SK are expecting you to support them against criticism now that you are part of the establishment. I know what to look for to check if a road has been salted or gritted, the evidence is there to see on the roads, cars etc and there is no such evidence of any activity.
This cold snap was predicted a few days before it is disgusting that only “smokescreen” efforts like filling grit bins etc are being undertaken.

iainroberts

Tuesday 22 December 2009 - 4:30 pm

Solutions SK can expect what they like, David – I’ll say it as I see it.

I do have a list of all the roads gritted buried somewhere in my email – I’ll see if I can dig it out.

John Hartley

Tuesday 22 December 2009 - 6:17 pm

Havnt had any real problems on the main Gatley roads once off the residential area – and even here there was some gritting on Coniston Road yesterday.

Difficult as to whether the balance is right – the UK isnt one of those countries that has mega winter problems. But when we do, everyone chimes in with “It’s ridiculous – someone should do something”. You politicians can’t win with this.

matthew

Tuesday 22 December 2009 - 10:01 pm

Having taken 2 hours to drive from my work (handforth) to my home (hazel grove) NONE of the roads had been gritted AT ALL. Having watched nearly a dozen cars get stuck on the bridge at Ravenoak Road, cars sliding into the kerb at Bridge Lane and cars stuck on the bridge just before Stepping Hill Hospital, then I can assure you that the roads havnt been gritted.

David

Thursday 24 December 2009 - 12:27 pm

If you are “saying it as you see it” then we voters will have to question your judgement. We’ve not been too impressed with the tone of some of the comments on this issue either. The facts are there was no evidence of salt (white on cars, windscreens and roads) nor grit (being able to see grit). I drove round Irlam the other day and guess what? loads of white salt on my car and windscreen and loads of grit. Yes, I think we should see this list of treated roads that you have so we can go and examine the evidence.

Iain Roberts

Thursday 24 December 2009 - 12:48 pm

David – my judgement is based on the simple fact that I, along with hundreds of other people I saw on my travels, drove around those roads and were able (driving sensibly for the conditions) to get around perfectly safely.

I hope you wouldn’t want me to be dishonest and claim I had real problems driving around when I didn’t.

I can’t comment on roads I didn’t drive on.

I can also confirm that the main roads were gritted again last night.

David

Thursday 24 December 2009 - 1:23 pm

Your problem is that you are trying to back track and change the subject on what you actually claimed. You made a claim, via email, about the level of gritting and salting that was happening, I questioned this claim, people being able to navigate through the snow and ice is an attempt to side step this disagreement.
I would like to see this list of gritted roads that you had as at 22nd Dec, posted on your website please. I will then inspect these roads.

iainroberts

Thursday 24 December 2009 - 2:06 pm

David,

I’ve passed on the information I received from the Council regarding gritting. In addition to that I added my own experiences.

I’m not saying you’re wrong – and I’m very happy to provide this forum for you to have your say. If Solutions SK have claimed to be gritting where, in reality, they haven’t, that would clearly be something we’d need to sort out!

I will post the list of roads for gritting, which you’re welcome to inspect.

Carolyn Minkes

Thursday 24 December 2009 - 7:07 pm

I have been driving in Cheshire, Stockport and Manchester since Sunday. Many roads appear to have remained untreated. The only gritter I saw was on Ashley Road and it dumped a load of grit on my bonnet. I would like to have seen the ramp to Gatley station gritted. It was and is treacherous. We have gritted our car park with a simple wheelbarrow affair and that could have been used on the ramp. It doesn’t take long.

iainroberts

Thursday 24 December 2009 - 8:25 pm

I don’t know what gritting, if any, Network Rail carried out on their stations.

As far as I know, all areas should have been following the general policy of gritting main and minor, but not residential, roads.

However, I do know that the repeated snow falls and, on Saturday the thaw-freeze meant that gritting wasn’t as effective everywhere as might have been liked.

I’m not aware of any serious problems in Stockport, but I guess we’ve all seen news reports from the South East, South West and Scotland of cars abandoned, serious crashes and even gritting lorries skidding of the road.

Iain Roberts | Slip-sliding on the pavements - how's Stockport done on gritting?

Saturday 26 December 2009 - 10:09 pm