Icy reception

The Ice Man cometh

 

Icy conditions under foot brought a number of complaints from local residents to Councillor David Meikle in Pollokshields Ward on Tuesday 2 December. ‘People were concerned about the lack of gritting on the roads and pavements this morning,’ he said. ‘I got in touch with Land and Environmental Services (LES) to raise these concerns and received this response:

“I can advise that following receipt of the weather forecast on Monday 1 December and in accordance with our Winter Maintenance Plan, LES resources carried out precautionary salting of our Secondary Routes from 0800 hrs until 1600 hrs. At 1800 hrs, these resources were allocated to our primary routes (roads & footways) and a full precautionary treatment was carried out.  Following receipt of an update in the weather forecast involving wintry showers, a follow-up treatment of our Primary Carriageway Routes was carried out at 0200 hrs. Unfortunately, showers that were not forecast, moved across the City at approximately 0500 hrs. These showers immediately froze on cold surfaces causing ice to form on our roads and footways. All available resources have been deployed to gritting duties (roads & footways) since 0600 hrs this morning and this operation will continue for the remainder of the working day and into the evening. Our forecast suggests that the freezing conditions will continue for at least the next five days with moderate snowfall possible within that period. Resources will continue to be allocated from all available depots and regular updates will be provided as necessary.”