Gritting
December 1, 2010 1:07 AM
A Liberal Democrat councillor has slammed Lancashire County Council for providing 'fake' salt in roadside grit bins. At Pendle Council's Executive meeting last Thursday. Councillor David Whipp said bins contained more sand than salt which is ineffective at melting snow and ice.
Speaking during a discussion about winter gritting arrangements, Councillor Whipp said, "Roadside grit bins are filled with fake salt. Instead of proper rocksalt, it's mixed with sand which doesn't melt snow and ice. The material will give people a false sense of security. The high sand contend will litter the streets, get tramped into shops and houses and block road drains, but it won't melt the ice."
Councillor Whipp questioned if salt provided to Pendle Council for use on town centre pavements would be rocksalt or the 'fake' material in roadside bins. He asked for supplies to be provided in Barnoldswick and other Pendle towns.
Conservative councillor James Starkie told the meeting that Lancashire County Council had delivered 50 tonnes of salt to Pendle's depot in Nelson. The meeting heard that supplies would be distributed from the central depot.
After the meeting, Councillor Whipp slammed "inadequate" arrangements for gritting. "The first flurries of snow have exposed the gaping holes in gritting arrangements," he said. "Roadside bins haven't been refilled - even with 'fake' salt; town centre pavements haven't been treated; and outlying towns like Barnoldswick haven't got salt supplies readily available.
"Originally, LCC were to supply Pendle with 200 tonnes of salt; but only a quarter that amount has been delivered. And that's being hoarded in Nelson. How do other towns get their pavements gritted? The arrangements are inadequate, they need reviewing urgently."
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