Sunday 9 January 2011

Winter maintenance - latest

Minto Place in the West End today
Earlier today, I wrote to the Chief Executive of Dundee City Council and the City Engineer as follows :

"Can I specifically raise the need to lift fresh snow off residential streets and pavements before it turns to hard packed ice?

During the December bad weather conditions, many residents pointed out concerns that when fresh snow is left in residential streets and on footpaths it quickly turns to ice and when hard packed it later required equipment such as excavators to get it removed – indeed there are still many residential streets with ice that is weeks old beneath the fresh snow.

What action will be taken to remove fresh snow when it is far more easily lifted – action now on this on residential streets as well as the main priority routes would make the winter maintenance job easier than if the snow is left to become hard packed ice?"

David Dorward, Chief Executive, has responded very promptly as follows :

"I agree with your comment on the clearing of fresh snow as soon as possible, and have e-mailed all the appropriate officers within the Council and Tayside Contracts in order to maximise resources, both mechanical and human, to ensure that we apply the maximum resources as early as possible. Obviously with the schools back , today we are dealing with the areas around schools, in order that we can ensure that the schools are open tomorrow morning.

The forecast is for slightly milder weather over the next 5 days, and therefore hopefully the thaw may assist us with the clearing of this current snowfall."