Icy car slip brings grit call
A SIDFORD resident wants something done about the lack of salt or grit available for his road after his car slid on ice on Friday.
The Lower Brook Meadow householder, who wishes to remain anonymous, was caught on a slippery patch of the road as he got to the top where it levels out. This sent the back end of the car out of control, it slipped off the road and into a parked vehicle.
He estimated that hundreds of pounds’ damage had been caused to both vehicles and renewed his efforts, spanning back two years, to get a salt or grit bin for the road, by contacting Devon County Council’s highways department on Friday.
“I told them I would be forwarding the car repair bill onto them and am hoping something will be done about a bin soon,” he said.
The road slopes away at a 45 degree angle and, therefore, becomes treacherous to get up and down in bad weather. There are 36 properties on it, including two blocks of flats, which the resident said were at risk, along with the children who played out in last week’s snow.
You may also want to watch:
A similar situation arose when there was snowfall in January, and the previous February. “I’ve seen vans wheel spinning as they’ve tried to get anywhere, and there’s lifeboat crew members living around here. What happens if they get caught on ice on their way to a call-out?” said the resident.
A Devon County Council Highways Operations Control Centre representative said the issue was in hand.
Most Read
- 1 Sidmouth artist paints a picture of hope for the NHS
- 2 17th century chest from Ottery manor to be auctioned
- 3 Free Zoom workshop for parents, carers and professionals during Lockdown
- 4 Westpoint one of two news venues to be used for vaccine roll out
- 5 The master sportsman: Norman Borrett
- 6 Commemorative elm tree planted to mark National Tree Warden scheme's 30th anniversary
- 7 'Follow the spirit of the lockdown restrictions'
- 8 Hospiscare charity will hold virtual recruitment fair
- 9 'It’s amazing how much you take for granted and how much we have to be grateful for'
- 10 Sidmouth Rugby Club’s Devon success stories
“We have been inundated with calls in the recent bad weather, and this matter is still on the system as an open enquiry,” she said. “It has gone through and we’re hoping to get some grit out there as soon as we can.”