Disabled pensioner is prisoner in own home

Icy pavements prevent him from seeing doctor

A disabled Bannockburn man says he has been frozen-out after icy weather left him housebound and unable to collect medication.

Trevor Gerrard (61), of Balfour Street, suffers from osteoarthritis and regularly has to attend his local health centre to pick up prescriptions.

However he contacted the Observer yesterday (Thursday) morning to say that he was unable to leave his property due to thick, sheet ice on the pavements and roads and has had to cancel appointments.

And when he got in touch with Stirling Council to ask if they would come out to grit the dangerous street he claims they replied to say it wasn’t a priority area but would grit the nearby Davidson Road.

He said: “I can’t get out of the house. I struggle with mobility anyway but the pavements are just covered in sheet ice. No gritters have been down the road.

“When I phoned the council to tell them they said they would only be doing Davidson Road as it’s a priority and that there was a grit box on my street – but the ice is that bad I can’t even get to the grit box.

“I’ve got an appointment at Bannockburn Health Centre to get my blood taken as I’m on new medication, but I’ve had to cancel that.

“I have to go there to collect medication too but I’m not going to be able to leave the house.”

He added: “It’s a disgrace. We pay our council tax so we expect the roads to be dealt with.

“They’re just not safe at the moment. If the bin lorries can get down this way [Balfour Street] then the gritters can too.”

I can’t get out of the house. I struggle with mobility anyway but the pavements are covered with ice