Late yesterday, I received assurances from the City Engineer regarding winter maintenance grit stocks across the city. I had sought assurances on behalf of constituents to get clarification that the council has sufficient levels of salt to undertake much-needed gritting over the next few days and was also making sufficient effort to fill the many empty grit bins in the West End and across the city.The City Engineer updated me as follows :
“As you will no doubt be appreciate, considerable salt and sand grit has been used over this severe winter spell and salt stock levels have reduced. There was a delivery of marine salt on Tuesday and with the stocks we currently have this should be sufficient to keep priority roads and footways treated until the next delivery of salt which is due on Fri/Sat this week with a further delivery ordered for 19 Jan 2010.
For your information, approx 85% of the 600+ grit bins were filled yesterday and we will be going back again over the next few days refilling all as necessary.”
I welcome clarification on the stock levels of salt held by the City Council as many residents are expressing concern about the need to grit roads and footpaths, particularly those residential streets that haven’t been treated as a priority and therefore remain a sheet of ice.
I am particularly concerned for the elderly and residents with mobility problems and am anxious that a full and proper discussion of winter maintenance arrangements in the city is carried out as a matter of urgency. I wrote yesterday to the City Council's Chief Executive asking that this discussion takes place at the earliest possible date.