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Why can't council get a grip?
LBO is bombarded with phone calls and emails about lack of salting
THE LBO has again been bombarded with phone calls and emails from readers angry at Central Beds Council's failure to grit town centre footpaths and residential roads.
In an email to the council and forwarded to us, Dave Hillery of Lime Grove said: "I am appalled at the lack of concern by the council for citizens of this town with regard to making the pathways safe for people to walk on.
I am aware that there are exceptional weather conditions this year but the town centre is critically dangerous.
"This is due to the lack of snow clearance and gritting of the pathways in the town and access ways to and from the town."
Mr Hillery went on to slam the council's excuse that traders did not want the footpaths treated as they did not want salt and grit trod into their shops.
He continued: "I have asked a number of traders and this is simply untrue.
"If you think that this saves money then you are misguided or mistaken.
"People need to access the town for general shopping, chemists, banks, library and post office.
"You have placed a financial burden on the health system with injuries caused by your lack of consideration and this is totally out of order."
Mr Hillery's email was passed to the council's customer services team manager, David Alley, for reply.
He said: "This is the coldest prolonged spell of weather since 1981.
"We have been constantly gritting the main routes since December 16.
"Our priority will always be the roads with footways being bottom of the list I'm afraid.
"It is not a case of saving money.
"We have a hierachy of priorities which starts with the A roads and ends with footways and side roads.
"What is the point in us treating a footway but then not being able to commit to keeping it safe?
"With resource available, focus will always have to swtich back to the roads and if we allow a footway to become icy again, we could have a claim bought against us.
"It is much better for pedestrians to exercise extreme caution on icy footways. "Our priority is, and always will be the roads.
"We will commit to footways when resource becomes available.
"This is the final position of Central Bedfordshire Council."
The manager of High Street pharmacy Boots, Sandra Turner, said it was "ridiculous" to say that traders had objected to footpaths being treated - especially during the current recession.
She said: "Trade is down and shops need every penny they can get."
Furniture shop owner Ian Dillamore said he had seen "30 to 40 slip and fall over" on the icy pavement.
He said: "We pay an awful lot of rates for the benefitof being on the High Street and the footpaths are lethal.
"Trade has been severely affected, but it needn't have been if the paths and road had been gritted."
More snow overnight on Sunday and more forecast for later this week means the council is being forced to conserve its rapidly-dwindling salt mountain.
The councill currently has an estimated 320 tonnes of salt in stock, enough for about seven more runs.
Councillor David McVicar, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities, said: "As we enter a new week it still looks likely that the cold spell could continue so we are still reducing our gritting runs to only A and B roads.
"With Government still monitoring all national salt supplies we are still forced to only grit the A and B roads, as we are unsure when we will received further deliveries.
"Throughout the last week we have also been attending badly affected areas in town centres and replenishing salt bins but people really do need to take extra care on the roads and footways and please follow our safety advice for when driving in snow, fog and ice.
"Our crews are still working round the clock to help keep traffic moving on all major roads, and I would like to reassure road users that Central Bedfordshire Council is doing everything it can to help keep traffic flowing on key routes."
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
