It's Snow Joke
December 22, 2009 12:00 AM
Adam Carew helping out to grit roads and footpaths in Whitehill and Bordon
Traffic chaos as roads go from bad to worse in Whitehill and Bordon.
Snow has once again transformed in Whitehill and Bordon into a winter wonderland in time for Christmas, but many roads have become impassable following below freezing temperatures.
Adam Carew - County Councillor and Liberal Democrat shadow Portfolio Holder for Environment at Hampshire County Council has spoken out at what he believes has been an inadequate response.
"The problem is that Hampshire County Council will only grit primary and secondary routes - the A3256 is a primary route and is reasonably good condition but secondary routes which include bus routes such as Hogmoor Rd and Forest Rd Whitehill have not been gritted properly and remain like an ice rink. What people find very difficult to understand is when they have to pay ever increasing council tax why the County Council do not bother to grit bother residential estates. Many people have been snowed in and unable to access clearer primary and secondary routes to get to work or go shopping and they are understandably furious.
County should at least grit and salt main footways to places like shops and doctors surgeries.
The contrast to places like Petersfield is breath-taking but last time I complained that Whitehill, Bordon and Lindford were not getting equal treatment I was told the micro-climate was different and other areas had not had the same amount of snow.
County Council will not pay for grit bins but will refill them free of charge. As they will not pay directly I have given the Town Council a number of yellow grit bins this year from my County Councillor's Devolved Budget - these have been placed around the town in key areas.
Councillors such as Philip Drury have requested they be placed in areas such as Warren Close which is on a very steep hill but the amount of grit has not been sufficient to cope with the amount of snow and ice.
I have dispensed grit in Forest Rd but soon ran out and others have found the same.
I have been onto County Council again today (Monday) to get our roads salted and our grit bins refilled and my phone has been ringing all weekend with complaints from residents about the lack of gritting in the town.
We had a gritting lorry pass up Forest Rd and Malmesbury the other day but its grit seemed to be switched off - Liphook Rd in contrast has been well salted.
Alton in the snow
County tell me they have also been inundated with complaints and are doing the best they can but other organisations have not been doing enough either. EHDC car parks in Petersfield especially Swan Street have been treacherous and don't appear to have been gritted at all. Even the disabled bays were under ice!
The land outside Lidl's and the Library in the Forest Centre is like a skating rink and very dangerous for our more elderly residents who could quite easily fall and break a hip.
The problem is people are having to come out and shop as some super markets are not doing home deliveries due to the weather.
Unfortunately there seems to be this corporate view that anyone spreading grit can be sued if it refreezes and someone slips up and injures themselves. It seems many companies are wont take action as they do not want to be held liable. If people can be sued for trying to help then the law is bonkers and needs changing urgently."
if you are concerned about icy conditions in your road over Christmas and New Year please contact Hampshire Highways on 0845 603 5633.
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