Worksop: Residents feel ‘failed’ by Council in gritting war

Furious Worksop folk have accused Notts County Council of ‘failing’ residents in a gritting war sparked by heavy snowfall on Boxing Day.
Heavy snowfall in NottsHeavy snowfall in Notts
Heavy snowfall in Notts

The snow began to fall heavily on the evening of Friday 26th December across Notts, causing some motorists to leave their vehicles by the roadside as many routes had not been gritted.

Residents took to social media and contacted the Guardian to express their anger at the danger on Worksop’s roads due to majour routes not being gritted for days.

Leigh Miles, landlord of the Queen’s Head on Bridge Street, said: “It’s an absolute disgrace. Worksop has a large elderly demographic and several of our older customers say they have felt exceptionally unsafe walking through Worksop due to the ice.”

“Main routes like Bridge Street and Newcastle avenue were not gritted until Monday 29th December, three days after the snowfall.”

“Several businesses had to close early on Boxing Day due to the weather, with many customers unable to get home.”

“Many of these businesses pay high business rates to the Council and I’d like to know where this money is going.”

“You would think we would be provided with a basic gritting service to keep people safe and the night-time economy running, but the Council have failed us all.”

Andrew Warrington, service director for Highways at Notts County Council, said that while it was not possible to grit all routes in Notts, gritters had been working around the clock to reach all parts of the county.

He added: “Our gritting crews have been working round the clock to keep the main routes gritted across the whole of Notts.”

“So far they have gritted the main routes five times since the snow on Boxing Day evening .”

“The main routes plus the main bus routes, make up about a third of the roads in Notts.”

“Each time the gritters go out they travel in total the equivalent of travelling from Land’s End to John ‘o Groats so, as you can imagine, this is no mean feat.”

“Even all this effort will not stop some disruption at a time then there has been a severe weather warning for ice in place by the Met Office.”