Residents have spoken out over the ‘danger ice’ that means they cannot leave their homes.
As the temperatures dropped this week, large areas of the county were left under sheets of ice. Wednesday and Thursday night were the coldest nights of the year. The cold weather is set to continue until Wednesday.
Earlier this week councillors in Blackburn with Darwen said they were inundated with complaints from residents who said the steepest streets in town were without grit.
Blackburn with Darwen Council said there were 400 bins in the borough and these were being filled as ‘quickly as possible’. The council also reminded residents that ‘grit was for use on the highways’ and not for ‘personal use’.
The council also revealed that teams have been out on the road continuously since the snow started last Saturday, gritting the borough’s roads with over 800 tonnes of grit.
The main roads were a priority and this was a policy across the country.
Paul Blackburn, 77, said residents on Walden Road, past Brownhill was completely ‘iced over’.
He said: “The majority of people living on this estate are over the age of 60. They are afraid to come out of their homes in case they fall over.
“I have spoken to a number of homeowners and they were frightened and have been out for a week.
“I am pretty fit for my age but even I would be nervous coming out.
“When I rang the local council they said I should walk over to a grit bin in an adjoining street.
“There is no way an elderly person is going to do that and carry a bucket of grit so far.”
Blackburn with Darwen gritting teams praised for efforts
Council working ‘quickly’ to fill 400 Blackburn grit bins
Mr Blackburn said it was unfair that side streets like this would be forced to endure being cut off.
“The pavements and the road are dangerous.”
On the other side of town off Rhodes Avenue residents had bought their own grit.
A neighbourhood group attempted to help residents to clear a frozen road in PleckgateResidents from the Swallowfields Neighbourhood group said people had banded together to purchase the grit to assist elderly neighbours.
“We have done as much as we can but it is not enough.
“People got together and helped a neighbour who had a hospital appointment.
“People do feel cut off and are having to tread carefully to the main road where they have parked.” In Roe Lee Cllr Saj Ali said he has been sent a number of pictures of empty grit bins.
He said: “I spent some time going round to the grit bins and they were empty.“Every time we ring we ring we get the standard reply that the crews are out please bear with us.
“It is the just the residents are frustrated.
“The side streets and the footpaths are absolutely awful”
On Wednesday the council clarified concerns and said teams had been out constantly but filling all the bins was not a ‘quick task’.
Executive Member for Growth and Development and Deputy Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Cllr Quesir Mahmood, said: “We have eight gritting routes within the borough that take two hours each to grit.
“With four vehicles, our staff members have been working at all times of day and night to ensure the roads of the borough are as safe as possible for road users.
“Although our salt barn has been in use a lot over the last few days, we still have 990 tonnes of grit left with a further 1500 tonnes on order, making us suitably sure that we are well prepared in the event of another cold snap.
“Following the continuous snow and ice over the last few days, we are aware that many grit bins are due for a refill.
“We’ve been filling them back up as quickly as possible since Monday and have deployed additional staff to do so too. However, as there are over 400 grit bins borough wide, this is not a quick task. All grit bins are expected to be full again by the beginning of next week at the latest.”
He added: “A big thank you to our community grit squads, who have been busy gritting away across the borough, to ensure that neighbours can travel safely.”