Dec 23 2009
The state of the local roads
I got up and about early to see what conditions were like for those going to work and going to the shops. All the main roads in the Wokingham area were passable, with many of them largely clear. It was important to drive carefully and gently, as there are a few patches of black ice even on the apparently clear ones. Side roads and car parks are often lethal, frozen solid. The pavements are poor in many places.
I will contact the Council again and suggest more treatment today. If it rains or snows on top of what we now have it will be very treacherous.
John Redwood has been the Member of Parliament for Wokingham since 1987. First attending Kent College, Canterbury, he graduated from Magdalen College...
Do you know the legal implications if you do put grit outside your home, shop or other business and someone still slips and falls? Do you take over the individuals liability? Even if they fail to walk in sensible shoes and in a careful manner! I’ve been reading regularly on the blogs this week that the reason homeowners don’t clear their paths and driveways is that if they leave them they’re not liable but if they clear them and leave a small patch they become liable.
Reply: That is the common modern assumption. It is defies commonsense, but I guess in this regulated world world some lawyer might take on such a claim. We could do with a lawyer offering some advice. How about clearing the pavement and then putting up a warning sign that it still may not be ice free?
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In Germany housholders are under a legal obligation to clear their frontages before (I think) 7.00 am and keep them clear. This is often delegated to contractors who take over the obligation.
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Chuck Unsworth Reply:
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:19 pm
And Switzerland has exactly the same rule and solutions. Whenever I travel there I note how compliant the population is – with eminently sensible legislation.
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It’s good to see a constituency MP doing such a thorough job looking after the needs of his constituents and also ensuring the local council is fulfilling its role.
Shame my (Conservative) MP isn’t as active as you. Maybe you should give lessons?
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Snow happens. Thats what tire chains are for, when I lived overseas, a 4-litre Diesel Toyota Amazon with tire chains (when required) was my preferred mode of transport. Beautiful car, no need for a grit-bailout by the local authority
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Agree absolutely with your comments.
Temperature outside this morning Minus 6 degrees
Its 14.00 and its now starting to rain, temperature outside Zero.
Your worst fears of rain on ice now a possibility.
Not seen one gritting lorry in the Wokingham area today, and I have been travelling on local roads for last 6 hours, in and around Wokingham, Crowthorne, Woodley, Reading. That of course does not mean that they are not out and about, but no signs of fresh gritting anywhere I have been.
Just off to Crowthorne again, then tuck myself up, and hibernate for a few days.
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alan jutson Reply:
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Just out of interest John.
How is the new (used car) car handling, are you in control, or does it still have a mind of its own.
reply: It goes from bad to worse. It does not like snow and ice, and without a proper manual box it is difficult to get it to go anywhere.
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There has been a clamour about the roads. But what about the pavements? Even in our town centre they have been atrocious. There are still people who do not or would prefer not to have the use of cars. Those who are limited to public transport also need to have pavement areas that are clear.
Reply: I agree – the pavements need grit as well.
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APL Reply:
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Demetrius: “But what about the pavements?”
No pavements cleared at all in this city.
I saw a gritting truck twice today, is squelched the slush onto the pavement.
A colleague told me that the gritters are in the same union as the bin men and are thus working to rule in sympathy.
Deja ‘79
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I live on a ‘prority three’ steep lane with ten households over half a mile. Our lane had no grit for six days despite many inches of snow. The nearest bus route is one mile away and the nearest shop is one and a half miles away. We were trapped in our homes. When I spoke to North Yorkshire County Council about it I was told that they had to give priority to the ‘priority one’ routes because that is what the government told them to do. I have effectively been without a service and I think some honesty would be helpfull so that residents could get together and organize their winter road clearing themselves. A refund of Council Tax would allow my money to be spent on my residential needs rather than just that of commuter traffic. We walked a three mile trip to do our food shopping and had to walk in the road when we got to town because the pavements were ice rinks. I know John stands up for the motorist but I want our Councils and Government to put pedestrians and cyclists first now because the motorist prioritising has swung too far in their favour. Everyone feels dreadful when they first do unaccustomed exercise but it soon gets better. I think we could have kids and old people on push bikes if safe cycleways and walkways were provided.
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Snow chains don’t deal with ice and you can only use them on snow filled roads or you wouldn’t be popular with the local council churning up their roads. I’ve just purchased two sets of tyre chains (£108 each van) but that wouldn’t have stopped the coach crash last night with the police car running into difficulty during the rescue. I think questions need asking if this is a popular, regularly used road.
It is not a “grit-bailout” that implies something for nothing, we’ve paid our local rates and business has paid their business rates to keep us safe and mobile and our businesses open. Some councils have accommodated this and some haven’t. If some councils are trying to save money to spend elsewhere then they should be answerable not just to their local rate payers but also the local business people whose staff can’t get into work and home again safely.
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backofanenvelope Reply:
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:22 pm
In Cornwall there are a lot of small lanes that just have to be used.
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We’d better get used to this sort of thing. It is what happens in impoverished countries.
Or did we really think that the Credit Crunch and the Icelandic banks fiasco never happened ?
Regular power cuts to come – collapse of the NHS and welfare state to follow…
Forget taking power. You’ll really regret having it. And Nu Lab are expert in one thing only … making sure that YOU take the blame.
And on that note …
Merry Christmas
(I really am a bundle of joy in actuality. I’ll bring my blog URL over – come visit.)
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John
Sorry to butt in but must draw your attension to this:-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/recession/6874992/Gilts-sell-off-as-Britain-joins-Italy-in-debt-house.html
John, am i reading this right…..the BOE has been buying not only the newy printed gilts to “bale” things, but also older gilts to protect the £ from a sharp fall in value?
A double whammy once “QE” stops?
Mike/Liverpool
Reply: Yes, the Bank has been buying second hand gilts to prop their value, and to allow foreign holders to exit if they wish.
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I checked out the Treasury’s figures of government spending, and made an attempt at arriving at a borrowing figure for the current year, by deducting tax revenues. I might have made errors as the information is presented in a bizarre fashion, but I make the total borrowing required 17% of GDP not the 12.5% claimed by Darling.
GBP 728 Billion is Treasury spending total.
GBP 496 Billion are revenues.
GBP 232 Billion is therefore borrowing figure.
GBP 1.36 Trillion is GDP.
My workings are HERE.
What figures do you have, John?
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Its all in the manual they make you read before they download your being into those tiny bodies in those dark wombs.
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keep quoting these dead white guys for a reason. We seem to be repeating some particularly nasty history, right now.
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