Concerns over gritting reduction on icy roads

It could also have a negative effect on the rural economy, the council's cabinet was told.

The cabinet passed a decision to reduce gritting to save £71,000 as part of a winter service review.

Major trunk roads such as the A470 and A483 will still be treated to Welsh Government standards, being gritted twice on every freezing night.

But some routes will be treated just once.

A working group from the Economy, Residents, Communities and Governance, scrutiny committee had discussed the proposal before it went in front of cabinet.

Councillor Jeremy Pugh said: “If we’re going to cut back the exemplary standards that we have set, is there a danger of us being at fault?”

Councillor Pugh believed the decision should be publicised for 12 months and feared the council could be held liable if people suffer incidents in icy conditions.

He added that a friend was now in a wheelchair following a crash on an icy road when a gritter had broken down and had been taken away.

Councillor E Michael Jones added: “I saw the amount of money that’s going to be saved and it raised concerns in my mind. Like many others I represent a very rural area.

“As a member of the planning committee we are being kept very busy with applications for chicken farms.

“I welcome the fact that no routes are being taken off, but there are very large lorries that service these sites.

Hedges

“They need clear roads, they just can’t go on icy roads.”

Councillor Jones said he believed the decision raised the risk of lorries crashing through hedges.

“We need to keep the roads moving, the by-roads as well as the main roads,” he added..

Corporate director for economy and environment, Nigel Brinn, answered: “What we’re doing is simply adhering to best practice.”

Mr Brinn said that the information for the decision came from the “Well-Maintained Highways” code of practice and information from the National Winter Service Research Group.

The Welsh Government’s Trunk Road Maintenance Manual (TRMM) sets a higher standard.

Mr Brinn added “There will be no areas of road that are not gritted, this is updating what we do.

“The distinction in Powys is that we have two road networks, the trunk road and that is belt and braces, we are a contractor and do what’s required.

“What we are saying is, there is a more appropriate and effective use of our resources on our county network following best practice.”

Mr Brinn hoped that he had reassured the committee members.

Winter gritting now accounted for 35 per cent of the council's highways budget compared to 12 per cent in the past.

Powys has the second biggest road network of any UK county, with 5,500km (3,400 miles) of roadway, of which trunk roads make up 430km (270 miles) with 240km (150 miles) of category A county roads.