Worried Harrogate councillor's plea for changes to be made to the Council’s priority gritting list for icy weather

Councillor John Mann, who represents the Oatlands and Pannal Division at county level, is called for roads outside schools in residential areas to be included in the council’s priority list for gritting to protect drivers and residents.

“The council has been battling the most extreme weather conditions we’ve seen for several years and they have been working around the clock to deal with freezing temperatures as low as -12°C,”said Coun Mann.

"The gritting teams have kept North Yorkshire moving.

"But, at the same time, on health and safety grounds, I am calling on the council to include steep residential roads and roads leading to schools to be included in the priority list for gritting.

"I have written to the Council Executive to make the case for this change to the gritting schedules.

"A couple of days ago two vehicles were in a crash trying to negotiate a steep slope that had not been gritted in Spring Lane in Pannal.

"They drove halfway up the slope, could get no farther, then slid back down, crashing into the walls on either side of the road.

"It was lucky that no pedestrians were passing at the time.”

In particular, the Harrogate Tory councillor said he had been concerned over the state of side roads as if affected pupils and school traffic in Harrogate.

"it is vital that side roads leading to schools such as Pannal Primary and Oatlands Junior School are gritted to keep them free from ice given the sheer number of parents and pupils that are mingling together with vehicles at school drop off and pick up times" said Coun Mann.

“On health and safety grounds, I think all roads outside schools should be gritted.

"In my ward this would include Pannal Green, Beechwood Grove, Cromwell Road and Green Lane.

"Yew Tree Lane, which gives access to Ashville College, is already on an existing gritting route thankfully.”