Gritting situation has become a postcode lottery

KEN’S death firmly places the controversial issue of gritting under the microscope.

At the start of every winter, local authority transport executives are rolled out in their hi-vis vests to reassure people that this year’s salt stockpiles are larger than ever. But are they really? With further icy and snowy weather predicted for Scotland this winter, The Sunday Post has found that a number of councils have had to cut back on the money spent gritting the roads because of budget pressures.

Just ahead of the accident which claimed Ken’s life, East Renfrewshire Council workers were aware temperatures were expected to plunge as low as -5C in urban areas.

The council revealed recently that more than 4500 tonnes of salt and 500 tonnes of grit were stockpiled and available to hit the roads and footpaths of the area.

Some 319 street bins and 17 larger community bins located across the area were to be topped up to let residents help themselves.

Gritting priorities, according to a local report, included main “A” roads, access to fire stations, bus routes to schools, main bus routes and routes to local employment areas. Approximately 65% of its network is gritted.

Despite this, residents are furious that a lack of gritting cost a man his life.

Children’s carer Anne Johnstone, of Neilston, said: “I just won’t attempt to go out when the roads are bad.

“Because Neilston is high up, our roads are steep and, as far as I can remember, it’s only the main road that’s regularly gritted.

“It’s tragic that someone has lost their life – the roads are lethal in winter.”

Grandad John Gebbie, 74, regularly picks up his grandchildren from school and admits that in icy weather, he’s nervous about slipping or falling and injuring himself.

John said: “The roads in Neilston are terrible. Sometimes the gritters might turn out a couple of days late, but we’re all just left to get on with it.”

Elsewhere, West Dunbartonshire Council recently revealed it was reviewing its gritting policy after four buses were stranded on black ice in Bonhill for hours.

In Aberdeen, the budget for winter and emergencies this year was £1.727 million – lower than the £1.977m set aside the year before.

More than 10,000 tonnes of salt and 12,000 litres of de-icer have been stockpiled by Aberdeen City Council for winter.

Aberdeenshire Council contributed £5.5 million to its winter roads budget five years ago.

This year the council said its winter budget would cost between £4 million and £9 million depending on the severity of the winter.

In the Highlands, the winter roads budget was £380,000 lower in the last two years compared with 2014/15.

During that time it also agreed to the loss of 12 gritters – 10% of the council’s fleet.

However, with many councils maintaining gritting budgets at the same level and some even increasing their spend, it has become a postcode lottery when it comes to determining how likely it is your roads have been gritted.