Crowborough had about 8 inches of snow Thurs night Friday morning.Nearly 48hrs later and some of the towns roads STILL havnt been gritted.
Why is it that East Sussex County Council have all these useless partnerships yet cant master the simple fact that Crowborough is prone to bad weather due to its elevation and if snow is to fall it will fall more here.The powers that be are too busy cosying up with all these "partners" that basic services like keeping the roads clear are just ignored.No one has been able to get up the hill outside my house now for 2 days and the whole Montargis estate is a disaster area with abandoned cars everywhere and a road surface like glass.What are these idiots in charge actually doing.East Sussex doesnt have any Motorways so resources should be concentrated on the areas with most snow, is that too complicated for these useful idiots.Every year we have this same farce where roads are left impassable for days due to snow.People cant get to work and earn the money to pay for the council services which are not being provided.Personally I dont care that ESCC is a LGB (lets get buggered) employer or they are pikey friendly all I want is for them to provide the services that I have already paid for.I have spent quite a lot of time in Canada and 8 inches would only be considered a light dusting.Why is it that other countries can keep the roads open in all weather but we cant.Its probably got something to do with the fact that ESCC employ people on the basis of their skin colour or sexual preferences but do not consider basic competence to be an essential part of the job.As a result we have a council that has a diverse workforce but is uniformly incompetent.
The cunts at the council are still going on about global warming shite even though everyone knows its all bollocks of the highest degree.Why dont they look out of their window and see the snow and ice.Global warming my arse.
Update-3 days and still no sign of gritters and all the paths are still lethal.
When are the council going to get off their collective fat arses and do something.
Same every year. These wankers need lynched.
ReplyDeleteIf the incredible salaries paid to senior council officials were reduced to *truly* reflect their worth to local taxpayers, we'd be paying Council Tax of around a fiver a year - at most.
ReplyDeleteEast Sussex Clueless Council are responsible for 2000 miles of roads but only deem it necessary to salt 800 miles.This means that over half the roads in East Sussex will not be treated which is a fucking scandal.
ReplyDeleteContact details for Highways
Phone: 0845 60 80 193
E-mail: highways@eastsussex.gov.uk
Fax: 01273 482955
Our address is:
East Sussex Highways
The Broyle
Ringmer
East Sussex
BN8 5NP.
The council ,by their own figures,are responsible for 2000 miles of roads across the county and they have(according to them) 24 gritting lorries.That means that every gritting lorry only needs to be responsible for 83.33 miles each to cover all 2000miles.
ReplyDeleteTo be generous you could probably cover that distance in just over 2 hrs .Taking into account copious breaks and refilling the salt every road in the county should be gritted twice a day at least.The fact is the Highways department couldnt organise a piss up in a brewery and we are all suffering as a result.
Having read the above comments I will comment on the subject, despite the fact that I object to the language used and find it (one word in particular) offensive.
ReplyDeleteI too believe that ESCC's gritting is wholly inadequate. They have just advised me:
"The pre-treated routes comprise all the major roads across the county and include a significant number of interlinking minor roads to ensure that the strategic network is passable. It is not possible to treat all roads across the county as this is both impractical and would prejudice our ability to keep the main roads as safe as possible. This means that many of our minor roads and estate roads will not be treated unless we suffer prolonged snow fall, and then only after the above routes have been covered. It is incumbent on vehicle drivers to drive to the conditions of the road regardless of whether the roads have been pre-salted or not."
My complaint was in fact in relation to no pavements having been treated some 6 days after the recent snowfall, by which time they were covered in compacted snow with sheet ice on top - including Uckfield bus station and much of the town centre.
They went on to say:
"We do undertake hand salting of pavements where resources permit but this is only undertaken when we are absolutely certain that the roads are clear. In times of persistent snowfall or extreme temperatures, this does mean that pavements may not be treated. For this reason, we provide a number of salt bins at known trouble spots where difficulties may arise because of ice or snow and, where stocks have become depleted, we will refill these as soon as possible."
So, we now have the privilege of paying council tax and doing the pavement gritting ourselves.
Pavements always used to be gritted - when did the policy change?
Anon
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I dont think the actual Policy has changed because councils have a duty under the Railways and Transport safety act 2003 to keep highways clear.What has changed is the fact that the councils seem to think they are a law unto themselves and ignore the legislation in practice whilst lying and saying in public that they are adhering to the legislation.We are being taken for idiots but most people just accept the situation.
How different it is the other way round though when any slight transgression of a statute results in an instant fine and or jail.