Freeze on spending?

Dec 11 2008 by Margaret Shaw, Hamilton Advertiser

FOLLOWING on from articles and reports in the Advertiser regarding South Lanarkshire Council’s attempts to save money on road gritting, I think I may have found the answer!

While walking up Limekilnburn Road from my home in Quarter this afternoon, I was given a liberal spraying of sand and grit by a council gritter coming down the hill.

I thought: "Oh well: narrow road, even narrower pavement, the guys are just doing their job.”

The road surface was soaking wet at the time. No danger from ice or snow; visibility was very restricted due to thick mist.

I reckoned they must have received a severe frost warning to justify their efforts.

Imagine my surprise, therefore, when on my way back down the hill half-an-hour later I was treated to another liberal dose of grit and salt from a different gritter travelling in the same direction!

I can’t help wondering how much cash the council could save if they stopped sending two gritters over the same road just half-an-hour apart.

Perhaps they would be kind enough to let us know.

T.H. Prestly, Merrick Gardens, Quarter.