Last week I emailed Kent County Councillor Nick Chard to ask why roads in these parts were in such a bad state after experiencing perhaps the worst driving conditions (wednesday evening around 8.00) I’ve ever encountered thick ice, from Brooksend through to Margate, despite claiming that Kent Highways keep logs of their gritting lorries I am surprised that Nick has not got back to me, since Kent claims to be a 4 star council you’d think they’d be able to get straight back.
KCC did issue I understand and rather partial press release but didn’t acknowledge how poorly they’d performed in reality. The press release made great mention of how gritting crews worked all night (Shutting the Barn door) but made no mention of sheet ice covering much if not all of east Kent roads? One local Tory Councillor with a sense of humour referred to a Blizzard?
Anyway here’s my email correspondence so far
11 February 2010 12:24
Hi Cllr. Chard
I am writing to you as, having heard your comments this morning on BBC Radio Kent, about Kent Highways treating roads, I find what you had to say astonishing I've been driving for many years, and I have to say that last nights weather conditions were in no way exceptional for the time of year, but the road surface leading into Birchingtion and Margate was without a doubt the worst I've ever encountered.
Could you please explain why there was no evidence of gritting the roads including the main roads which were thick with ice.
Regards tony flaig
PS for more information see my blog postings Snow worries <http://bignewsmargate.blogspot.com/2010/02/snow-worries-roads-have-been-treated.html>
or Police contact KCC <http://bignewsmargate.blogspot.com/2010/02/urgent-warning-driving-conditions.html>
11 February 2010 14:35
Thank you for your email.
We log all of our gritting lorries so that we know where and when gritting has taken place.
I shall enquire and respond when I have the detail.
Yours
Nick Chard
11 February 2010 14:56
Thanks
tony flaig
If I get a reply I’ll do my best to let you know.
Tony, how bad was Brookes end, it must have been lethal.
ReplyDeleteThey log the lorries but do they know whether the grit is being spread evenly? How do they ensure a good even spread when their lorries appear to operate at different speeds? Have they a guideline spreading speed? And do they use the same sand/salt mix on every road? Also you need to know since the 'super' depots were introduced at a cost of £17 millions and local depots closed, whether the reaction time for East Kent has suffered. Local Depots meant staff with local knowledge, centralised depots mean staff with computers and satnavs to plan for snow.
ReplyDeletevery bad as was the road through to Margate and understand the rest of thanet
ReplyDelete