Forum for residents of St Georges Park and Long Leys Road Lincoln

[deb]

I spoke to Cllr Parker as promised and he received this response from the County. This is only part of it as it was quite lengthy.

Yabby, I agree Higson is terrible. The ONLY way up and down is hanging on to the handrail. We will be pressing for grit bins at every opportunity. It must be in the gradients greater than 1:10 criteria though not sure if it's longer than the 50 metres - what do you reckon?



HM22: For winter maintenance policies the definition of Severe Winter Weather and Extreme Winter Weather is as follows:

Severe Winter Weather is defined as persistent widespread ice (rather than frost) or snow for more than 18 hours in a 24 hour period and a forecast not to rise above zero for a further 18 hours in the next 24 hours. Or a forecast, with a high confidence of significant snowfall resulting in accumulations of 5 cm or more or where drifting is expected and conditions are forecast to persist for at least 24 hours.

Extreme Winter Weather is defined as a period of widespread prolonged snow, following a period of Severe Winter Weather, of sufficient depth to cause disruption to both the treated and non treated highway network. It is expected that during a period of Extreme Winter Weather there will not be sufficient resources available to treat either the secondary route network or the footway networks. The Director of Development as a Category 1 Responder will declare an Emergency under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and call for the setting up a Strategic (Gold) Co-ordination Group – see HM36 for further details.

The definitions of Severe and Extreme weather in a winter maintenance context seeks to ensure consistency and define a standard when the public can expect the treatment of so called secondary routes and footways to commence.


HM23: At times of severe weather treatment priorities will be as follows:
1: Carriageways on the approved 3,008 km priority route network.
2: Secondary routes including carriageways leading to essential industrial and military establishments, hospitals and health centres,
schools and colleges, ambulances and fire stations, important bus and commuter routes.
3: Footways in accordance with HM24 (below).

Variations in the above priorities may be necessary to suit local conditions and the efficient planning of treatment routes. Liaison between Divisions will be undertaken prior to treatment of the secondary network to ensure a consistent standard of service with adjacent areas when dealing with severe frost.

Roads not on the Priority Route Network and footways are not normally treated on a precautionary basis. The exception being in the case of severe forecast snow. In this case precautionary treatment may be carried out if available resources allow. Remedial treatment decisions are based on the above priorities and knowledge of local conditions. Each Division has prepared a network of secondary routes reflecting the above policy and will treat in whole or in part according to prevailing conditions. For reasons of safety, normally roads on the secondary network will only be treated during the hours of daylight.

HM24: During periods of severe weather or extreme winter weather the treatment of footways will be considered when resources permit. Footways to be treated will reflect their importance in the County’s footway hierarchy. The footway priority network for winter maintenance operations consists of:
1. Hierarchy 1 and 2 footways.
2. Hierarchy 3 footways with gradients greater than 1 in 10 longitudinally for longer than 50 metres.
3. Transport Interchanges (including footways to main car parks).
4. Other known footways trouble spots.

When a period of prolonged severe or extreme winter weather or significant snowfall is forecast, consideration will be given to treating the priority network prior to the onset of these conditions.

In extreme conditions of both snowfall and sub zero temperatures even recently treated roads and footways can become icy, sometimes very quickly. Resulting in routes becoming difficult, sometimes impossible to negotiate and unfortunately road traffic collisions and slips and falls for pedestrians do occur. Such conditions were experienced over a wide area during the period of 30th November to 5th December.

During this recent period of weather, which has been classified as extreme. Significant snow fall was experienced over much of the county, particularly in the northern parts, including the City and particularly over the higher ground of the Wolds. This snowfall was exacerbated by strong winds causing drifting on many of the more exposed routes. We have also experienced very severe temperatures falling as low as -18 degrees Celsius over night and daytime temperatures failing to rise above -2 degrees.

Consequently our resources have been fully occupied around the clock, in maintaining the priority network of roads passable and reasonably safe. We have, when resources have allowed treated the secondary network of carriageways routes and the priority footway network. The network priority footways in the city centre have been treated every evening between the 28th November to 4th December to maintain them, as far as practicable, in a reasonably safe condition. Even with the help of other authorities such as District Councils and local farmers and contractors we are not able to deploy resources beyond these networks.

In addition with such low temperatures and the presence of compacted snow and ice, salt spread on these surfaces is virtually ineffective. To attempt to remove compacted ice by mechanical means risks significant damage to the fabric of the roads and footways. This has hampered our ability to make any significant progress on improving the condition of much of the network.

All involved have worked tirelessly to deal with the impact caused by the extreme conditions. However given the constraints of the resources reasonably made available to us and what is physically possible, it is inevitable that network problems and disruption will occur during and in the aftermath of such events.

[Jeff]

Had a word with the PC Coaches bus driver this morning about Highways gritting the road he uses on St Georges. He said that an official came to look at the road which was iced packed. PC Coaches have told Highways that their drivers will not use the road if not gritted for health and safety reasons. The bus driver said this he has done. County Council has decided that gritting the road cannot be given any priority, even if it is part of the bus route. Makes you wonder what we pay our council tax for. I'm b' angry!!!!!!

[deb]

I know Jeff. I did mention the bus route. All I can say is that in the future we should have more sway because the road will officiallly belong to Highways whereas at the moment it does not. Really sorry, we tried but there are hundreds like us and some in a better position. When we have a grit bin, and preferably with grit/salt in it, we can work together to do the worst bits that the council would never have any obligation to make safe.
Perhaps with next year's ward budgets, if they still exist, I could ask for snow shovels so that they can be made available to people

[SteveW]

You'll have us dispose of our own rubbish next !!!!!

[deb]

ho ho!!! I was appalled that the bin collectors left loads of rubbish Friday and would not empty bins where the lid would not close. I mean, they hadn't been for a month!

The council will only ever be obliged (maybe!!) to do the bus route Steve but at least if tools are available it makes it easier for people to clear even if it's only their own bit. Nothing wrong with a bit of community spirit though and blooming good exercise - hard hot work shovelling snow!