Dog walker’s pain after slip on ice

Stirling Council this week confirmed a review of its winter maintenance policy is to be carried out next year.

But any changes to the action plan are unlikely to be implemented until late next year.

Councillors agreed to the review at the last council meeting earlier this month – before the authority became the target for widespread criticism over the gritting of roads and pavements during last week’s big freeze.

Under the council’s existing policy busiest roads are treated first followed by secondary routes, pavements, footpaths, car parks and public buildings including clinics and schools.

However, last week as temperatures plunged to as low as minus seven Centigrade roads and pavements were left covered in ice and many were untreated between Tuesday and Friday.

Residents slid, slithered and often fell on the glass-like pavements and scores had to receive treatment for broken A St Ninians man faces a spell off work after he slipped on ice while walking his dog.

Callum McWhirter, 33, ended up in accident and emergency at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert for over three hours in agony after taking a tumble and dislocating his shoulder.

Bricklayer Callum had been bones, sprains or bruising .

NHS Forth Valley said the accident and emergency department at Forth Valley Royal and Stirling’s minor injuries unit were inundated with people suffering injuries caused by the ice.

And the council’s own waste collection service was devastated by the weather with thousands of bins all over the area left unemptied. Efforts were being made to try and clear the backlog this week.

The Observer’s social media pages received hundreds of comments from people who felt the council had not done enough to make pavements and roadways safe.

Yesterday (Tuesday) a council spokesman said: “It was agreed we would review the winter maintenance policy next year with a view to presenting recommendations to the relevant committee in autumn 2018. Communities will be fully consulted and their feedback will help inform committee in advance of any decision being made.”

Deputy leader of the council’s Conservative Group Martin Earl acknowledged the hard work walking his dog on Wednesday evening when he lost his footing on a slippery pavement in Port Street, Stirling.

Callum’s five-year-old basset hound, Spud, yanked on his leash, causing his feet to slide out from under him.

Callum’s wife, Donna, told the Observer: “There were no grit bins in the town and the paths clearly hadn’t been gritted. put in by staff during the adverse weather, but said there was an urgent need to examine the winter maintenance policy.

“Any review should look at the criteria regarding which roads are treated first because that hasn’t been done for years and the data on which it is based is out of date.” added Councillor Earl.

“There also needs to be a look at the policy governing how pavements are treated and the location of and the council’s capacity to supply grit bins.

“The current council policy limits the number of grit bins to 475. At the moment, if you wish to place a new grit bin somewhere else, another location has to lose one.

“However, the council is prepared to come and drop off piles of grit to areas where it is needed. Surely, if they are prepared to do that, they would be better dropping the grit into a bin.”

Environment and housing convener Jim Thomson said: “The service is continually reviewed in order to assess how we can improve it for the future and this occasion will be no different.

“Extreme temperatures can at

“It’s the most pain that I’ve ever seen him in.

“Callum was really hurt and the dog got a fright as well.

“Callum will be off of work for at least a week or two now because of it.

“We ended up in A&E from around 6pm until 9.30pm. The place was full of people who had come in with injuries picked up by slipping. It was really busy. times impact the effectiveness of road salt and I would urge pedestrians and those using cars to be mindful when nighttime temperatures are well below the norm.

“I remain in close contact with council officers in order to address any concerns of residents as we experience winter weather.”

Labour environment spokesman Danny Gibson said most people recognised the council could never grit every area, but added: “It is right and proper that as councillors, we always keep a close eye on the winter policy and how things are operating so that the highest priorities are tackled first.”

He said information about gritting routes and salt box locations were on the council website and added: “The obvious difficulty is that if there are any areas that people want extended or added to then the corresponding budget would also have to be increased to pay for it.

“Over the last five years the council has maintained its winter policy and winter service budget despite Scottish Government cuts to council funding.”

“Thankfully the staff were amazing at the hospital and could see how much pain he was in and managed to get it dealt with urgently.

“I also work in the dentist in Port Street and the number of people who have come in injured with facial injuries having fallen was frightening. These are paths within the town that should be gritted for people’s safety.”