With the recent state of the roads, perhaps it’s worth repeating what we wrote here on onlinefocus back in 2003:
July 12th, 2003 |
Shock Cuts in Winter Salting Budget
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We had enough trouble last winter with slippery roads in our district . Next winter is likely to be much worse, because there will only be one-third as much money for road salting and snowploughing!
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We have just found out that the budget for salting and snowploughing in our district has been cut from ?103,335 last year to ?30,273 for this year. This work is done by the County Council.
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What?s the reason for the cut? It?s nothing to do with instructions from central government, or a lack of money from the government. It?s simply that the County Council has decided to take money away from our district and spend it on salting in other parts of the County.
thought I’d try to be a responsible citizen and see what I could do to help the road situation outside a school that serves over 400 Rayleigh children! The Roads outside the school are sheet ice today and many near miss incidents that may have involved children. Essex highways say they only do main roads, Rochford council say thay only do car parks and high street!!! Everyone extremly unhelpful! Looks like nothing will change, any ideas anyone?
Last night I saw a most shocking incident whilst walking home from the train station, a young mother forced to walk in the road with her pram whilst cars approached from behind and in front. I rushed over to help, to be met with “you can’t walk on the pavements, so I have no choice”
So I thought last night, instead of the grit bins that get used on peoples drives etc. How about designated gritters for each road (and if a long road maybe a few people), as I certainly would volunteer to help grit the pavements on my road so people can walk on them.
Hockley has the same problems and attempts by Hockley Residents Association to organise additional snow clearance measures have been unsuccessful so far. With the budget cut-backs we need to find alternative ways of self-help and I hope local councils will show a lead on this.
Well credit where credit is due two men were out gritting the local roads by school today and seems to have made some difference. I found someone helpful at essex county in the end who reported the problem and they said they would ask the inspector to assess the need – so maybe they did something?!?!