The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Complaints pour in as icy conditions hamper travel
Treacherous roads and footpaths were reported across Tayside and Fife as local authorities struggled to keep pace with sub-zero temperatures sweeping the region.
Complaints poured in from angry locals with many finding grit bins empty when they tried to tackle the problem themselves.
One father was even able to film his nine-year-old son ice-skating on a street in a Perthshire village.
Ben Stark, 9, an icehockey player with Dundee Stars Juniors, was videoed by his dad Gavin skating on Me a d o w v i ew Drive in Inchture at 9am.
Afterwards the youngster helped his dad grit the street.
Gavin said: “Pretty much the entire village is a sheet of ice.
“Ben and I gritted a lot of the street after the fun.
“Hopefully the council see this and react pretty quickly in the future.”
Rural residents around Perthshire flooded the local authority’s social media channels with complaints as the ice left towns and villages in a dangerous condition.
Ross Hannah said: “The state of the roads is terrible.
“Not only are you putting the public’s lives at risk by waiting until it is too late, you are also now putting the gritter drivers’ lives at risk having to try and get round these treacherous roads.”
Kendra Keith vented her frustrations, saying: “Roads from Perth to Blairgowrie are absolutely awf u l , pavements too.
“Car slid everywhere last night and was unable to get into drive, had to stop on road and salt the pavement and the road which is the council’s job.”
Lorraine Elkins added: “Really poor in Auchterarder – grit bins empty as normal and our street has been an ice rink for over a week now.”
Pe r t h and Kinross Council defended its response, saying it had brought in additional support to tackle the issue.
A spokesperson said: “Gritter crews have been working through the night to treat main A-class roads and Perth bus routes.
“Priority carriageways were pre-gritted on Sunday afternoon but further rainfall and sub-zero road and footway temperatures led to widespread ic y conditions across our network overnight.
“We h av e m o b i l i s e d additional operational
support from Ta y s i d e Contracts and PKC Operations to assist with gritting of the roads and footway network early this morning.
“Our staff, and those of Tayside Contrac ts, are working hard to clear roads and footways in extremely challenging conditions.”
In Fife, the council was unable to collect some bins as the lorries couldn’t enter streets due to ice.
A council spokesperson said: “Due to the current hazardous ice weather conditions, the waste collection crews across the whole of Fife are experiencing access issues into streets, this has resulted in some bins not being serviced.”
Katie Ormiston said the lack of gritting was putting Fifers at risk.
She said: “Public safety is a priority and that includes your employees. It also includes NHS workers and care workers who have to travel to rural villages.”
Public safety is a priority and that includes your employees