Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Grit Bins for the Ladder
I was perusing the Haringey website of late, and happened to download a list of grit bin locations in the borough. I may be mistaken, but it would appear that there are none in the Ladder, which, given the gradient of the some of the hills struck me a trifle odd.
Anyway, I've phoned Haringey to propose Burgoyne Road as a new bin location and emailed our elected representatives suggesting that now might be a good time to resolve this - before the next snowfall arrives. I just thought I'd mention it in case others would like to join me in a rather laid-back campaign: Grit Bins for the Ladder!
Helen.
Anyway, I've phoned Haringey to propose Burgoyne Road as a new bin location and emailed our elected representatives suggesting that now might be a good time to resolve this - before the next snowfall arrives. I just thought I'd mention it in case others would like to join me in a rather laid-back campaign: Grit Bins for the Ladder!
Helen.
Tags for Forum Posts: Burgoyne Road, Ice, grit bins, gritting, snow
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by OneWomanAndHerDog on
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Thanks Liz,
Yes, Cllr Alexander has replied to my e-mail too and attached a letter that she had from Environmental Services in January.
The jist of it seems to be that nothing will even be thought of being done before April 2010, when the winter maintenance season comes to an end, and Environmental Resources have the time to get down to the business of reviewing their gritting policy (it's dirty work but someone has to do it). And even then new bins will only be have to be in place by 31st October 2010. So if it snows between now and then it's our problem. But the lines remain open for further nominations.
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Permalink Reply by Karen Alexander on
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I will be asking the council to review the timetable for installing the grit bins - clearly October is unacceptable as so early in the year we are likely to have more snow and bad weather and the associated problems.
Cllr Karen Alexander
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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October!
It's going to take a whole year for the new party in power to get their bearings.
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Permalink Reply by PeterPiper on
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Which political party does Grit Bins represent?
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Grit has no political allegiances but s/he does like a nice tea party. With Rock (salt) Cakes.
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Permalink Reply by frank demster on
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Although I'm just a humble council officer I will have an opportunity to have my say when staff discuss the new gritting arrangements in April. I will certainly be arguing the ladders case. Also me and the winter maintenance guy have fag breaks together so I'll kick his arse if we don't get everything our own way! HA! POWER!!
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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April ? April!
Although I'm just a humble councillor, can I suggest that a resident doth not tackle winter with grit alone. There are a whole range of problems associated with ice and snow. Including: isolated elderly and disabled people; having regular news bulletins, and communication generally; access for the emergency services; injuries and hospital admissions. And the aftermath – like potholes.
On 1 February, Cllr John Bevan wrote to all councillors explaining that the Urban Environment Department is now:
“preparing a future plan which will be taking into account the lessons learnt during the winters of 2008/9 and this winter. The aim of the Winter Service Plan is to set both the policy and the operational details of the service that will be provided in future winter months to address snow and ice on the Council’s roads and pavements.”
John told us all: “We are very keen to hear of your experiences over the last two winters as part of our review of the existing service”.
Excellent! But I emailed John asking when residents will have the chance to contribute to the “Winter Service Plan”. I’m sure they've many comments and ideas and would welcome joining in this useful think tank exercise.
I suggested:
► We issue a public invitation for residents to send in criticisms, ideas and suggestions about improving our Winter Service.
► An invitation goes to local media - including local radio - and to local websites.
► We give prizes for the best suggestions. (It need not be expensive. e.g. a voucher for a discount at our sports centres or a free DVD rental from the library. Local stores may want to sponsor discount vouchers.)
►We publish these criticisms, comments and suggestions on our website.
But the Council needs to get going. Any longer, and people may prefer to talk about the March floods. Or the April heatwave.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Ford on
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Dear All,
The Harringay Liberal Democrats team are proposing that the ladder roads are fully kitted out with grit bins by autumn 2010.
In 2009 in Stroud Green Lib Dem Councillors offered local residents the chance to request additional grit bins on their roads through a series of street letters. This is something the Lib Dems will do immediately for the ladder roads if elected to the three council seats in Harringay this May.
The absence of grit bins on the ladder roads is ridiculous, especially considering how steep many of them are. I live on Cavendish and had huge problems navigating my road over Christmas.
For Cllr Canver to claim at yesterday's Area Assembly meeting that this winter's weather was unprecedented and caught everyone by surprise was plainly incorrect. As recently as the heavy snow in February 2009 a debate on the insuficient provision of grit in the UK circulated widely in the national media, and the fact that only ten months later we found ourselves in exactly the same situation was a pretty damning assessment of our Council's ability to act on problems decisively as, and when, they arise.
The provision of grit is not a major budgetory issue, the bins and the grit are cheap, and the wide use of street bins alleviates the storage problem and also allows residents to use the grit themselves when council services are stretched. Bins can also be locked in the in the warmer months ensuring they are not used as litter bins or the grit stolen.
Whilst I agree with the aim behind all of Cllr Stanton's suggestions, the basic issue of providing grit so our pavements are safe to walk along does not require a large public consultation and the months of time and money that will then go into meetings, publicity, report writing and prizes. We all know where the grit is needed so can't we just put it there?
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Chris, as you've mentioned my suggestions, can I add a small clarification. I wasn't thinking of a long drawn-out consultation over many months. Exactly the opposite. I urged John Bevan to get this process going quickly while the ice and snow wrere still in people's minds and they were motivated to come up with suggestions, criticisms, good ideas from other places etc etc.
John had just taken over the brief and I was pleasantly surprised that he'd made this initiative. Though disappointed that he hasn't yet opened it up to residents.
But actually, we don't have to wait for Haringey officers to come up with a consultation plan. Just write in now. And Chris, why not start a new HoL thread called Winter Service Plan which can include everyone's good ideas.
Here's John Bevan's email 1 February. He sent it to councillors of all 3 parties.
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Subject : WINTER SERVICE PLAN
Colleagues,
Frontline Services is preparing a future plan which will be taking into account the lessons learnt during the winters of 2008/9 and this winter. The aim of the Winter Service Plan is to set both the policy and the operational details of the service that will be provided in future winter months to address snow and ice on the Council’s roads and pavements.
We are very keen to hear of your experiences over the last two winters as part of our review of the existing service. Please send your views direct to me. I am very keen that you respond with your experiences and suggestions for future improvements.
Many thanks
Cllr John Bevan
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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Alan: will this not all be forgotten come the summer (as I think you imply) and especially if the next winter happens to be a mild one?
Lessons learnt in the past two winters?!
Did the phenomenon of winter not exist more than 24 months ago? Back then, were winters always averagely cold?! Is there no institutional memory of harsh winters? It's reminiscent of British Rail's famous reason for halting train services: the wrong kind of snow had fallen on the tracks!
The process that Cllr. Bevan has outlined seems unnecessarily bureaucratic. The "Front Line Services Future Plan" might sound suitably impressive to council officers, but as a timely response to the current problem, it seems inflexible and unresponsive to me.
Someone surely needs to knock heads together, but it seems that Cllr. Bevan is merely going along with the option put in front of him by permanent council staff (as he did with the super-expensive council TV aerials) ... instead of leading.
There is nothing inherently challenging about grit bins, indeed I would have thought this formed part of the most basic, simple jobs of a local authority, like keeping the roads in reasonable repair.
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We do of course, have winter every year, Clive. But as you know, in most years London tends to get far less snow than other parts of the UK.
Snow and ice prevented me from getting the Daily Mail this winter. So I may have missed fascinating articles such as: "Heaviest Snowfall for Decades"; "AA reports busiest night in 25 years" "Hairy Mammoth Seen in Crouch End". And of course, coverage of Brian Haley's brave comment to his Labour comrades as he left the tent: "I am just going outside and may be some time".
Yes, London does have snow; and we need grit bins. However, as Einstein said: "Make things as simple as possible, but not simpler". Grit bins are not the whole answer. I'm sure you and many other residents have helpful ideas and suggestions: about what the Council got wrong; what we got right; and how to do it better next time. Let's hear from you.
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[Labour councillor and prospective candidate for Tottenham Hale]
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