Furious residents slam council over lack of grit (From Harwich and Manningtree Standard)

Furious Dovercourt residents slam council over lack of grit

6:00pm Thursday 24th January 2013 in Harwich and Manningtree News

FURIOUS residents living on a treacherously steep and icy street have slammed council officials for not providing enough grit.

Briardale Avenue in Dovercourt was impassable when the only grit bin serving the area soon ran out after snowfall and subzero temperatures hit the town earlier this week.

To make matters worse, residents claim they have been told there will be no more grit on the way.

Craig Hales, 37, who runs a car valeting business, complained to Essex County Council highways agency after he was also unable to get to work on Monday. 

He said: “I was told the bin is only filled twice a year and they can’t refill the bin - but we can’t get out of our road.

“The road is treacherous and we only get one bin for the whole area – it’s ludicrous.”

Another resident, James Round, 24, a self-employed courier, said he lost two days of pay on Monday and Tuesday because the road was impassable. 

He said: “It’s disgusting how the council have only give this whole estate one bin to cover five of the steepest hills in Harwich."

An Essex County Council spokesperson said: “Salt bins owned by Essex County Council were filled at the beginning of winter and will be re-filled again.

“We would like to remind residents that salt bins should only be used to treat public highways and not private residencies."