I regret we got caught cold when temperatures plunged

Dec 11 2008 by Margaret Shaw, Hamilton Advertiser

THIS area experienced adverse weather conditions last week, with road surface temperatures barely above freezing over a seven-day period.

The council deployed our full gritter fleet on our primary road network and managed to maintain it in a serviceable condition. However, due to the pressure of keeping primary routes clear, and the worsening weather conditions, we were slow to start work on the secondary network particularly residential streets.

We received many complaints about the icy conditions of our roads and footways. I acknowledge that more extensive gritting should have been carried out over the weekend preceding the worst of the weather.

I regret we did not provide our normal high level of winter maintenance service. I have instructed roads officers to deploy all available resources to ensure that all roads and footways are maintained in a safe state during periods of low temperatures, ice and snow.

Roads are vital to the wellbeing of our communities and we will make every effort to ensure they are kept safe.

Eddie McAvoy, Leader, South Lanarkshire Council.