Cheadle and Gatley Lib Dems are moving
Your Lib Dem team for Cheadle West & Gatley Learn more
by Lib Dem team on 4 January, 2010
Here’s the latest from Stockport Council on gritting:
A Council spokesman, said: “During the recent cold weather the Council has worked around the clock to ensure that disruption is kept to a minimum.
A fleet of eight dedicated highway gritters supported by a fleet of smaller gritting vehicles, tippers and JCB’s are working relentlessly to address the worsening conditions.
Snow and ice gritting operations will continue to be undertaken on the Council’s priority and local feeder roads, which includes bus routes, this is in accordance with the Council’s winter maintenance policy which can be found at www.stockport.gov.uk/transportpolicy
The Council has approximately 300 tonnes of grit in stock which will last for up to eight days in freezing conditions. The Council is also keen to reassure residents that they are in constant contact with the suppliers to ensure that the grit levels will be maintained throughout the winter and further deliveries are expected.
The Council is also in regular contact with other Greater Manchester Authorities to discuss and monitor grit stocks. Road users are also advised to take extra care and refer to the Highways Agency for further advice on traffic disruption on motorways and trunk roads.”
Councillors have been told that gritting will continue on all the priority and local feeder routes but not on smaller residential roads. This is the agreed policy: in common with pretty much every local authority across the country, Stockport aims to keep the main roads and busier car parks and pavements clear.
I don’t know the reasoning behind that, but I would imagine it’s partly down to the amount of salt the Council has. At least one UK council is on the verge of running out of salt due to the severity of the conditions. Stockport has enough for another 8 days, we’re told, but the more roads gritted, the less long the grit will last for.
However, I’m still concerned about certain roads such as Eskdale, where the combination of ice, hills and a lack of grit bins are causing big problems for some residents. I’ve had some (limited) success in getting these gritted just before the New Year, but I don’t know whether we’ll be able to have them done again, or if that will even solve the problem, since grit is least effective when scattered on existing ice on low-traffic roads. We could really do with either more grit bins, or at least piles of grit left on the pavement in key locations.
See also my other posts on this issue, plus the comments made on each:
Report on snow, travel and services for 6th Jan
My experiences of snow and gritting 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
5 Comments
[…] Stockport ice and gritting update, 4th Jan […]
There has been NO gritting at all on Valley Road SK4 (where there is a school) this winter. Craig Raod was not gritted on the 3rd or 4th, and now is only passable with a 4×4, this is a bus route). Station road (with the industrial estate at the bottom has only been gritted once this winter and was not done on 3rd or 4th. It is now being used as a sledge run.
Kendal Drive is a nightmare to get up and down, you try it and let me know, the grit box is constantly empty and i applaud the locals who have been trying to shovel away as much snow as possible. What happened to the council ? have they turned a blind eye to the local person who have voted them in – everyone in quick enough to take money but not quick enough to act !
This moring we got the call that Gatley primary was open, despite last night’s heavy snow. 15 minutes late we get a text saying stockport have made us close the school. Why is this? If the staff have made the effort to get in and got the place running surely they are best placed to advise on such matters.
Richard – I don’t know the details, but it would have been up to the school whether or not it took the council’s advice and some schools did open today (e.g. Cheadle Primary). My kids seemed quite pleased at the news.
There’s more info from the Council at http://ow.ly/T39J
s alam – I know the Council is working to keep the grit boxes refilled. Whether they’re not being refilled often enough, or whether people are emptying them as soon as more grit goes in I don’t know – will try to find out.