Safety risks: Harrogate MP pushes council to do more gritting and clearing of footpaths in sub-zero conditions

On Wednesday, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon was in direct contact with North Yorkshire Council leaders Richard Flinton and Karl Battersby.

In the discussions with North Yorkshire Council's Chief Executive and Corporate Director Environment, respectively, the MP urged the council to reallocate resources from areas that have already been cleared to support local efforts in clearing roads and pavements in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

He specifically called for side roads to be prioritised so that residents can safely access cleared main routes.

Additionally, he pressed for immediate attention to clearing main footpaths, allowing those who wish to travel on foot to do so safely.

Mr Gordon reports that some progress is now being made, though there is so much work still to do.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough MP said: “The conditions we are seeing in Harrogate and Knaresborough are not just an inconvenience, they are a safety issue.

"The council told me that Priority 1 footpaths in Harrogate are being treated but I have been pushing them to do more gritting and clearing of roads and footpaths.

"A number of residents have been concerned that Harrogate town centre and Knaresborough Market Place do not seem to have been treated.

"I flagged this with the relevant team at the council on Monday and was pleased to see staff treating the pavements in the town centre that evening.

"Due to the vast area and length of roads that North Yorkshire Council covers they operate their snow preparation on a priority basis.

"Roads designated priority 1 and priority 2 were salted in advance of the snowfall.

"The teams are now able to look to the lower priority roads in the area and are beginning to treat side roads and estates where possible.

"‘I appreciate the work the council have already done in trying to manage this difficult situation but I know that concerns have also been raised over the safety of the more vulnerable members of our community.

"I share this concern and have been doing my best to press the council on this."

In response, North Yorkshire Council said it had been conducting a wide-ranging and co-ordinated effort all week to ensure the conuty was kept on the move during the most extreme weather conditions in seven years.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transportation, Coun Keane Duncan, said: “The council is currently battling the most extreme winter conditions we’ve seen since the ‘Beast from the East’ in 2018.

“Conditions in the west of North Yorkshire, including in and around Harrogate and the Dales, are proving particularly challenging.

“Our crews are working round the clock across our vast, rural county to deal with snow, ice and freezing temperatures as low as -12C.

“Our gritting teams and farming contractors have been working extremely hard to treat roads, refill grit bins and clear footpaths around shops, schools and hospitals.

“We have already diverted extra manpower to this effort, with waste and parks staff supporting our operations.

"But the sub-zero temperatures have been so extreme that the effectiveness of salt on roads and footpaths has been impacted.”