Families are demanding the return of a grit bin following a week of snow and freezing conditions which has left residents in one Stoke-on-Trent street unable to leave their homes due to the conditions.
Mountford Street in Burslem is a narrow one way street, with cars parked on both sides of the road. This may explain why the gritters haven’t been able to cover the street. However, now residents want to know why their grit bin has been taken away.
This week has seen snow fall and freezing temperatures day in and day out, which has only made the problem worse. Residents claim there was a grit bin along the street, however in recent times it has been taken away.
Other residents have claimed that they’ve heard the Stoke-on-Trent City Council have started to remove grit bins due to teenagers
Resident Susan Rotherham claimed the street had a grit bin before it was removed.
She said: “There are no grit bins, I’ve just been talking to my son and they won’t put them out because the kids take the salt out. But I’ve just said there are old people walking about and if they fall on this they are really going to hurt themselves.
“The corner of the street is very slippery sometimes. There used to be a grit bin in the yard but they got rid of that one because somebody took over. We need the grit bins back so people have got something to put down. The roads are terrible.”
Mountford Street in Burslem covered with snow and ice
Mountford Street runs through Baddeley Street and creates a narrow junction to turn into the one-way Mountford Street. On Thursday a lorry was stuck for over two hours at the problematic junction.
Thomas Beresford commented: “I think it’s crazy how people know how bad some of these roads get and there are no grit bins about. I know in other parts of the city though even when there are grit bins they aren’t full so maybe it wouldn’t make a difference.
“I just feel sorry for the elderly people who live around here and don’t have a car. You can’t really put a price on making things safer.”
Resident Beryl Dawson added: “I won’t go out when it’s like this. A grit bin would help a lot and it is a bad corner. We need to get something done but I don’t think it will happen.”
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been approached for comment
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