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True grit?

Wednesday, 6 January 2010

Response to criticisms over state of roads during 'big freeze'
AS TRADITIONAL as Christmas and New Year celebrations is criticism of the state of our roads during adverse winter weather.
And, with the onset of the latest 'big freeze' in the run-up to Christmas, bringing heavy snowfalls, slow-thawing ice and frost on our roads and pavements, this year has seen widespread disruption to those holiday travel arrangements.
The Coast Road closed down, for the third time in little over a month, due to a rock fall at Garron Point during last week.
This incident shut the coastal route near Carnlough, traffic still being diverted onto Tower Road on New Year's Eve.
However, the oft-affected Coast Road was not the only troubled thoroughfare.
As reported in the Larne Gazette before Christmas, the snow and ice that had been such features of the weather since the previous weekend were wreaking a not inconsiderable amount of havoc right across the Borough.
Although the gritters were out in force on main roads, some routes remained untreated and the effects were plain to be seen on ice-bound motorists and pedestrians alike.
Rural districts were, as we reported, naturally the worst hit, but many urban areas did not escape either and residents have not been slow to voice concerns and complaints about how this festive freeze was dealt with.
Pedestrians had to take to the roads as the pavements froze over.
And the elderly and infirm, of course, were amongst those most at risk of losing their footing in icy conditions which lasted for a number of days over the Christmas period and were still with us as the New Year dawned.
As stated, local folk have made their feelings clear, approaching the Larne Gazette with stories of the problems they faced in moving about on foot or by car.
Residents in the Hampton Manor area, to name but one, complained of how bad conditions were there last week, ice rendering travel extremely difficult if not impossible.
"Truly terrible"
One resident told us, "It was truly terrible.
“Moving the car about at all was a hair-raising experience, slipping and sliding all over the place.
“The road in and out was in a shocking state with ice but had not been gritted at all. That contrasted totally with conditions on other neighbouring routes.
“Some people were literally housebound as a result.
“What was going on, I'd like to know?
“Folk had to get their own salt to move about at all. Couldn't something have been done to help here?"
The Gazette contacted Roads Service to find out last week, a spokesperson telling us that Hampton Manor is not on the gritting route.
And it was pointed out that half of the estate isn't adopted by Roads Service.
DRD also provided us with information on how they prioritise their gritting services generally.
It was stated, "The Christmas holiday period witnessed the most prolonged and lowest temperatures encountered for some years and when coming after lying snow it left many roads in a dangerous condition.
“Roads Service worked through the night to grit the main routes throughout the north.
“Roads Service's resources are targeted on busier routes carrying most traffic and whilst understanding the concerns of those who use the more lightly trafficked roads that are not included in the salted network, it is simply not practical to salt all roads.
“Also, on rural roads there is insufficient traffic to mix the salt solution with the ice/snow rendering the salting ineffective."
Continued on page 5
"Will replenish the salt"
The Roads Service statement continued:
“However, consideration is given to placing grit piles or salt bins at hills, bends or junctions on roads that are not salted.
“Where Roads Service are aware of an empty salt bin etc they will replenish the salt.
“Roads Service's winter gritting service is a massive logistical undertaking that involves salting approximately 7,000 kilometres of roads, in just over three hours, across the North, at a cost of around £74,000 per night. The salted network is around 7,000 km (4,300 miles) and covers 80 per cent of traffic in the North.
“During long periods of heavy snowfall, maximum effort will be concentrated on the key traffic routes. Clearing snow from motorways and the trunk roads will be given priority, before moving to other main roads and the busiest urban link roads.
“Once these main routes have been opened to traffic, Roads Service's resources will be diverted to the less heavily trafficked roads, especially in urban areas, and will continue until all roads are cleared."
The statement concluded, "In very deep snow, Roads Service will use its 11 snow blowers, the latest of which can shift 1,600 tonnes of snow per hour. Arrangements are also in place to enlist the help of contractors and farmers to clear blocked roads."
Speaking to the Larne Gazette on Monday, the Mayor of Larne Cllr Bobby McKee commented, "There was a time and a policy in place when areas like Hampton Manor, with roads that hadn't been adopted, would have had salt bins put down and they would have let people manage these themselves."
The Mayor was particularly concerned about the most vulnerable members of our community in such conditions:
“The big concern I have is carers trying to get in and out of these places. It doesn't bear thinking about.
“Residents in some places such as the back of the Highways, Hampton Manor and Walnut Hollow, places like that, were put in an impossible position when it came to getting out and in on icy roads."
Mayor McKee continued by outlining what he intended to do about this serious situation:
“I am going to take the opportunity to ring the department myself and, first and foremost, give them the concerns I have.
“I understand the community also has a role to play. Councils and local authorities get the blame of it but, at the end of the day, the responsibility is down to Roads Service."
Prevailing policy need to be altered
The Mayor pointed to the problems caused by ice on pavements and kerbs, suggesting that prevailing policy towards these aspects of the situation needs to be altered.
He highlighted the example of the sand box which had stood near the Highways Hotel, "for years", and which had only recently been "taken away."
Bobby McKee stated, "I will be speaking to the department this morning (Monday).
“My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected.
“And it is not over yet. The weather is to get worse and they reckon it will last another 10-14 days.
“We need to give some thought to getting sand boxes adjacent to those places badly affected so people can avail themselves of these facilities.
“It's not just the department.
“The community needs to be proactive in dealing with these things, but the department needs to make provision to enable the community to get involved.
“We had sandbags made available in flooding conditions so there is no reason we can't make this available during frosty weather.
“We are not expecting Roads Service to come up and grit every road, but the department needs to provide facilities so the community themselves can get involved with it."
As stated, this community involvement was key:
“If you have elderly or disabled neighbours you have a duty of care to ensure they get served and, if provision is made, I assume people will be happy to make use of it."

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