Keeping the local roads open

 

       Yesterday I rang the Leader of Wokingham Borough Council to check they had all they needed from central government and were able to keep the main roads gritted and open. I was happy to learn that they planned a couple of gritting runs on the main roads.

        I got up early this morning to see if all had worked well, and was pleased to find the main local roads were well salted and gritted and running smoothly. Many  thanks to all those who drove the lorries to make sure the rest of us can still get around, and thanks to the Council for organising it.

4 Comments

  1. Kevin Ronald Lohse
    February 5, 2012

    Yup. Shepway District Council is on the ball as well. Even the roads through the villages and hamlets are receiving attention. A far cry from last year’s mess. Just goes to show what can be achieved when pragmatism triumphs over misplaced idealism.

  2. stan francis
    February 5, 2012

    Last year our village was locked in-Completey DUE TO SNOW!
    This year I joined the parish council, I put forwrad 21 issues, pne was carried through which was cutting back tree branches on exiting recreation ground.
    In the issues was doing something ourselves regards clearing snow.
    In August last year I resigned due to the the idiot councilors not closing down a skate ramp when a young child broke his ankle in two places, a budding footballer no more!
    So, I could not continue pushing these issues I decided to approach the councty councilor who’s worked with me inbeliveably for over 6 months now in getting issues attended to that the parish council ignore, cannot understand, a meeting is a place to go to sleep senario.
    In November last year I emailed the councty councilor and said, in my 21 issues was anything done about the snow for the ensuing winter, no he said the parish council were asked and no reply, so what do i do now?
    Well I said what’s the format, get two contractors to help out, we are in a farming community so I went for one in the village and one high on the hills, a sheep farmer, after 2 weeks both agreed to £40/hourly to clear snow and put down grit when needed. That’s our contingency plan..they came out last night and everyone’s moving around the village in and out.
    The parish council has a chairman that’s been a chairman for 20 plus years, how does he get re-elected?…he ensures he keeps his friends on board!
    I fear this is how this Gov’t works, it’s going pear shaped but can’t blame old Ginger I was at Uni with so we put up with it all….meanwhile we have to work around these old pals acts and jobsworths.

  3. WALTER MACQUEEN
    February 5, 2012

    Mr Redwood.
    Its always good to see OUR MP or for that matter, any of the locally elected reps.actually working on our behalf but any representations to Wokingham Council is unlikely to help those of us who suffer under Newbury District Council, [pretending as they do to look after us in other areas of West Berks], though of course still within you parliamentary zone of influence.
    Perhaps this peculiar split in representation will be remedied in the new zoning for MPs. though unfortunately nothing will be done about the spendthrift Newbury “RDC”.

    Reply: You are right that I need to do both Councils, and I have now also contacted West Berkshire, as I usually do.

  4. Andy
    March 1, 2012

    On the night of the snow I had to help get my new born niece to Royal Berks hospital. The signposted route from the M4 to the hospital had not been gritted, even though we all new the snow as coming. I phoned up the council emergency number to complain and was given short shrift.

    I then looked up the gritting plan on their website, which appears to be an incomprehensible consultant created document of little practical use. Gritting roads is no use, it is routes that need to be gritted.

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