Road Gritting to be Improved (Mole Valley Liberal Democrats)

Mole Valley Liberal Democrats <info@molevalleylibdems.org.uk>

Road Gritting to be Improved

January 22, 2012 11:01 AM

Paul Elderton & Hazel Watson at Beare Green

Surrey Residents and Liberal Democrats have campaigned for the County Council to improve its gritting of the roads throughout Surrey. As part of the campaign, Liberal Democrat County Councillors have taken an active role in the Task Group that has reviewed the County Council's response to snow and ice and welcome the increase in the number of roads to be gritted this winter, the new fleet of gritting lorries which will spread the grit more evenly across the road, and the new mini all-terrain vehicles which will be able to clear snow from more rural lanes.

But Beare Green Gritting Depot to be Mothballed

But the Beare Green Highways Depot, which was previously used as the base for the gritting of Mole Valley's roads in winter, has been moth-balled following the appointment of the new highways contractors earlier this year. This winter the teams that will grit Mole Valley's roads will be based in Godstone - with only emergency grit supplies, which were left over from last winter, remaining in the Beare Green depot.

Liberal Democrat County Councillor Hazel Watson says, "I am concerned that Godstone may be too far away from our area to ensure that our roads will be gritted on a timely basis. If the snow comes down quickly - as it did last year - then the gritting lorries will not be able to get through to grit our roads as the roads nearer the depot become impassable. Furthermore, once the snow has fallen our roads will be the last to be re-opened as the gritting lorries will have to reopen the roads closest to their depot first."

Liberal Democrat District Councillor Paul Elderton added, "Surrey Liberal Democrats have continually called for the County Council to take measures to ensure that the County's roads are adequately gritted and kept open during winter snowfalls following the failure to keep the roads open during the last two winters. We are delighted that action is being taken but fear that the expected improvements will not materialise with the Beare Green depot mothballed."