Local MP Norman Baker appeared on the floor of the Commons yesterday to criticise East Sussex County Council's failure to grit pavements in the Lewes constituency, which has resulted in a large increase in hospital admissions across the area as people attempt to cope with the treacherous conditions.
Mr Baker called upon the government to consider making an assessment of the cost to the economy and to health services of the shortage of grit, and also attacked the government's failure to obtain sufficient stocks of grit to deal with the current spate of inclement weather, which has resulted in side roads and pavements throughout East Sussex being not being cleared.
The vast majority of grit used to treat roads is sourced from a single mine in Cheshire, and the Lewes MP urged the government to consider using a larger number of sources to ensure there are sufficient stocks in future.
Norman Baker commented:
"The snow which hit last February ought to have served as a warning, but it is clear that too many lessons have not been learned. I am not aware of a single pavement which has been gritted by the County Council.
"At the very least, it seems that it would be sensible to grit those pavements around doctors' surgeries, bus stops, and supermarkets. People throughout the Lewes area have had to negotiate sheets of ice to purchase basic commodities and to do their normal work."
Yesterday in the Commons, Lib Dem Norman Baker told the Commons:
"I pay tribute to the hard work that has been undertaken by many employees of local councils and other bodies to try to keep our transport networks running effectively. Does the Minister think it sensible for us to rely on just one mine in Cheshire for 90 per cent. of our salt supplies, and will he consider whether we need to diversify further to ensure that we have guaranteed supplies for future events?
"Was it not unwise, last February, to recommend that councils hold only six days' supply, given the current indication that there will be 10 days of extreme weather conditions, and will he consider revising that advice?
"Is not one consequence of the current shortage of grit in many parts of the country that many side roads are not being treated in many areas? That leaves many elderly and vulnerable people effectively trapped in their homes, and is of great concern to them. Is not another consequence that pavements are not gritted at all in some areas?
"Finally, will the Minister make an assessment of the cost to business and the health service of the failure of some councils to keep essential transport systems working? In my local primary care trust area, and in the acute trust in Brighton, which has done very well, about 1,500 people have been through the system with injuries such as broken wrists that might not have occurred had pavements been properly gritted."
The full transcript of the exchange can eb found in Hansard.
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