‘Our maintenance team has done a fantastic job clearing the snow’

Schools across Dundee reopened today following last week’s treacherous weather conditions and business are up and running again — but a yellow weather warning for snow and ice remains in place across parts of Tayside until 3pm tomorrow.

Council leader John Alexander said that the sheer volume of snow that fell in Dundee last week had posed the biggest challenge of all.

He said: “Just keeping the roads open proved a major challenge.

“The snow was so bad that we have seen the ploughs and gritters clearing roads until they were black but because of the very heavy snow they were completely covered again within 45 minutes.

“The winter vehicle maintenance drivers have done a fantastic job in seriously difficult circumstances to keep the city running.

”The calling on our gritting teams has been extensive but they have kept working in their efforts to keep our roads open.”

Mr Alexander said how proud he was about how everyone in the city had pulled together.

He added: “There has been a true community spirit — we have seen neighbours helping neighbours.

“People have cleared paths for their neighbours or just gone to the shops for them. It’s been fantastic to see how everyone has pulled together at a very difficult time.”

Health and social care convener Councillor Ken Lynn also praised people for their response.

He said: “A lot of staff throughout Dundee have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

“Some workers at residential care homes stayed at their workplace overnight to ensure they were there for their shift the following day — they really have excelled themselves.

“I know a lot of people out in the community who have looked out for their neighbours and ensured their safety throughout the bad weather.

“It has been fantastic to see everyone really coming together through a tough time.

“The only hiccup was perhaps the

COUNCIL staff went “above and beyond” in keeping roads open during the snowy weather according to city leaders — but a decision to keep schools open was a described as a “hiccup”.

council not closing schools on Wednesday. However, it was quick to rectify that.”

However, some locals were not as happy with the service from gritting teams in the city.

Stella Hutchison, 71, who lives in The Brackens, claims her area went ungritted throughout the period of bad weather.

She said: “Nobody has come near this area to clear it.

“I haven’t seen one gritter come to clear the place. It’s shocking.

“I’m 71 and I’ve been out with a shovel trying to clear it because there’s people who just can’t get out to do it.

“We are completely forgotten about up here. It’s as if they just don’t care.” Our

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