How about this for damned cheek. The latest councillors' briefing explains that the Ladder roads were closed last night (Thursday) at the request of the police. It goes on to say that they've been reopened this evening (Friday) after consultation with the residents.
Permalink Reply by Hugh on January 11, 2010 at 18:42
I've written to all six councillors for the Harringay Neighbourhood and so far have had an acknowledgement from Nilgun Canver and Karen Alexander who have both promised to find us some answers.
Permalink Reply by Hugh on January 25, 2010 at 18:46
Cllr ALexander has just received her reply to our question:
Dear Cllr Alexander
Re: Gritting - ladder roads
Thank you for your enquiry of 9 January 2010 regarding the above which has been passed to me for reply.
In the normal course of events the Council would expect to grit the carriageways of the ladder roads as part of our response to snow and/or ice events, and they were gritted during December 2009 following snow fall. Due to the severity of the weather event we experienced for a four week period from 17th December 2009 to 13th January 2010, when temperatures were rarely above freezing and several falls of snow were experienced, we had to reduce our gritting activity to ensure that we could keep main roads safe and running. The reduced gritting activity meant that we did not grit Priority 2 or 3 roads after 4th January 2010 resulting in ice in many of those roads which included ladder roads.
It is quite possible, although I hope not likely, that a similar situation could arise again if we were to experience prolonged cold weather with snow and ice events. In such circumstances, and presuming we did not re-classify all or some ladder roads as Priority 1 in the meantime, the provision of grit bins could assist in managing the potential for ice on ladder roads. As such we are considering a suggestion made for the installation of grit bins on ladder roads. This will be considered as part of the annual review of the gritting service which we will undertake immediately after the end of the winter maintenance season which is 31st March 2010. We would like to ensure that if we do install grit bins that they are in the most appropriate locations for use on pavements and roads but within reach of loading vehicles when top up is required. If you would like to suggest any particular location within the specific ladder roads then please feel free to do so. Any new grit bins that we do install will be put in place and topped up with grit by 31st October 2010.
You asked why roads in Muswell Hill such as Onslow Gardens and Woodland Gardens gritted when roads on the ladder were not?
At the moment all of the above roads are Priority 1 roads. A decision was made on 4th January 2010 that, due to the forecast at that time that there was likely to be no let up in the sub-zero temperatures for at least 2 weeks, the Council would only grit Priorty 1 roads. This decision was made to ensure that the Council could keep Priority 1 roads running using the existing salt grit stocks at a time when the grit supplier was not able to fulfil the orders placed for more salt grit. As ladder roads are Priority 2 roads, this decision meant they could not be gritted after 4th January whilst those roads listed above continued to be gritted. On 8th January 2010 a further decision was taken, following advice from the government to reduce salt grit use, whereupon we switched from Priority 1 gritting to main road gritting.
None of the above roads carry bus routes and I accept the similarities you have drawn between these roads and the ladder roads when you ask why they have been put into different priorities. The one appreciable difference is that the roads mentioned above are towards the highest part of the borough and as such may be more susceptible to formation of ice and/or build up of lying snow during snow fall. It is certainly the case that on Friday 15th January 2010 we were able to observe that roads in the east of the borough were completely clear of ice whereas some roads in the west at the higher parts of the borough still had ice in places. Whether this warrants the roads above being Priority 1 is something that will be considered as part of the annual review of the gritting service which we will undertake after after 31st March 2010. The position of these roads as Priority 1 will be reviewed and could change. Any change would apply from the next winter season starting 1st November 2010.
The recent cold spell has been acknowledged as the worst for 30 years. Such an event would tend to test the sufficiency of our winter service plan in a way that it is not possible to do in a theory-based manner and to demonstrate any areas within the plan that need to be reviewed or amended to ensure that it is as good as it can be. We have had a lot of feedback from residents and we will use this to review and where appropriate revise the winter service plan ready for next year.
I would second our green belt Freinds with tractors and chains to clear our roads of snow, they already own the tractors, which would save the council hundreds of thousands, insurances and extra training would be the fun part, it works in Switzerland ok.