Winter wipeout
Council defend weather action plans
Fed-up motorists in East Kilbride and Avondale were going snowhere after a six-day winter whiteout.
Several inches of the white stuff fell throughout last week causing huge disruption.
South Lanarkshire Council this week insisted they did all they could to keep the area moving.
Council bosses have defended the response to last week’s big freeze which saw a sixday winter whiteout grip East Kilbride and Avondale.
With eight inches of snowfall on the highest ground and thundersnow battering the area, drivers and commuters struggled to get around in blizzard conditions as Scotland’s icy blast took its toll.
Police issued a severe weather warning telling drivers to stay off the roads at night in a bid to prevent further disruption and delays.
Cars were abandoned across East Kilbride, schools and nurseries were forced to close early on Friday, school buses were off and high school preliminary exams were cancelled during the worst of the cold snap.
The News was told when considering a blanket closure of schools, a multiagency review is convened to assess the weather warnings and the potential risks for children with their safety and wellbeing being “the cornerstone” on which decisions are made.
However, parents were up in arms and claimed there was short notice about Friday’s early closures.
Commenting on the confusion, Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon said: “Many parents, myself included, faced chaos and confusion after failing to receive a text alert that schools would be closing early due to the adverse weather. I’ll be seeking answers from the council about what went wrong on this occasion and what lessons will be learned for the future.”
Insisting there is only so much the council can do to beat the snow, roads boss Gordan Mackay said: “Although the conditions have been challenging, our teams have worked tirelessly to keep roads and pavements gritted.
“Our gritters have been out on a 24hour basis, dealing with heavy snow fall and drifting snow conditions.
“We grit about 52 per cent (1190 kilometres) of our roads when ice or snow is forecast; which is more than the Scottish average of 47 per cent.
“It is not possible to treat all of the roads and footways.
“We have to work on a priority basis, retreating the main roads and town centre footpaths periodically to ensure they are as safe as possible and then treating other roads and pavements as our available resources permit.”
But his claim that gritting teams were working around the clock to treat and clear the roads was met with a cold reaction from locals.
Greenhills resident Thomas Chawner said: “Yet again SLC have all the notice warning about the snow coming and EK is at a standstill. Serious questions need to be asked.”
Mila Stewart added: “So many people injured, cars damaged and work hours lost. SLC you should be ashamed!”
During ‘snowmageddon’ 200 council workers worked 12-hour shifts spreading 10,000 tonnes of grit with their fleet of 48 gritters, 43 snowploughs, one snowblower, 24 tractors and six loaders.
Now 2000 grit bins are to be replenished.
It is not possible to treat all of the roads and footways...