Traders angry over lack of grit

Councillor Charlie Clark said he was "totally appalled" while a Western Road trader was "disgusted" that town centre pavements were not treated though covered in thick ice and claimed this was "disgraceful".

Shops, cafes and businesses in the heart of Bexhill say they were badly affected by customers not being able to walk safely along the pavement which meant they simply stayed at home.

Don Pay of Newsmart commented: "I think the council is useless. During the last big snow we had here 18 years ago, private contractors came over to grit and clean all the pavements up. But what has happened this time? Nothing.

"I am absolutely appalled. The council should be ashamed."

His views were echoed up and down Western Road which seemed worst affected by ice while cafe owner Jo Souissi in Wickham Avenue said: "The council has taken our money and done nothing. "With the pavements and roads they have done nothing '“ they get the money without doing the job."

He described himself as "annoyed" by the lack of gritting and had resorted to buying sand himself to put on the pavements and provide safety for pedestrians, customers or not.

Councillor Clark criticised the lack of grit in Pebsham in particular and commented: "There's been no bus service because the roads haven't been gritted.

"I rang East Sussex County Council highways department to say I was very concerned about the Pebsham surgery, because there was no gritting outside and could some be put down.

"I was told '“ it's not on our route, mate, we are given routes to grit, and that's it."

He said residents of Pebsham, particularly elderly people living on their own with no close family at hand, were unable to go out and buy food because of dangerous ice on pavements.

The local supermarket in Seabourne Road had even run out of milk because deliveries were not able to get through, according to Cllr Clark.

"Residential areas are being left abandoned. I know there is a limit of grit, but to me surgeries and schools are a priority. You would think they would be on the priority list, and also keeping the town centre accessible, especially with the number of elderly people we have here in Bexhill.

"What would it take? A couple of guys out on the road shovelling grit down.

"They keep the main roads clear, which is fine if you're shopping at Tesco, but there are all the little roads you can't get access to, and that's very poor."

An ESCC spokesman said: "Whilst we understand everyone would like their own road and pavement gritted we have to focus on those areas where it is most needed, will affect the most people, and provide the maximum safety benefit. That means we prioritise roads rather than pavements to prevent the most serious accidents and salt more than 800 miles of main roads that are vital in keeping the county running.

"The current weather is the longest extended cold spell for nearly 30 years and this is obviously placing a strain on our salt stocks as we compete with other highway authorities for refills. With that in mind, we will continue to salt the main roads but this does mean we are currently unable to salt minor roads and pavements until our salt stocks are replenished. We have a large number of salt bins located at various problem locations across the county, which have been refilled, but we won't be able to fill them again until we receive deliveries of salt."