Snow: Get it right next time

Written by Gary Fuller, Folkestone Town Councillor for Harvey Central and published in Letter to Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Kent Highways Nick Chard on Wed 17th Feb 2010

Over the past week, like many others in Folkestone, I've had to walk to home after becoming stranded, my child has fallen repeatedly due to icy pathways (and I've seen plenty of evidence that she isn't alone in doing so) and I've been called by an elderly person who has been trapped indoors for days (in my case, not a relative).

Folkestone, along with other areas of East Kent, have been gripped by complete chaos brought about by what I feel was a wholly ineffective strategic response from Kent Highways to the snow that fell last week. As of last night, there were still pathways in Folkestone, in roads such as Sandgate Road, Pleydell Gardens, Millfield, Manor Road and Ingles Road, that were covered in thick layers of snow that had turned to ice, despite the fact that no snow has fallen since last Friday at the very latest. I'm completely appalled that this has been allowed to happen and I expect, at the very least, that this should never happen again.

With this in mind, and to help me further understand how Folkestone was failed so completely, I would be grateful if you could send me the current gritting response information, including orders of priority and minimum service standards. I would also be grateful if you could outline for me, and keep me informed about, plans to improve the responsiveness and strategic effectiveness of Kent Highways in gritting Kent's roads in the future. I would have it noted that, despite the strategic failures, I salute the herculean efforts made by all Kent Highways staff in responding to the inclement weather.

I will look forward to hearing from you soon.