THE issue of road gritting has been a tricky one for Kirklees Council in recent years.

Last Friday’s ice has once more brought the problem into sharp focus but obviously that day was one of extreme weather that made the conditions so treacherous.

Some Kirklees councillors have been calling for a new system called Route Based Forecasting to be brought in which would change the gritting routes so the higher, most isolated and thus potentially dangerous roads are gritted first.

Yet it appears such a move won’t start until next year.

Surely if the technology is there now along with the evidence showing which roads are the ones that become the most lethal, then it needs to be brought in before winter’s icy grip takes an even firmer hold.

Kirklees is never going to please all the people all the time, but if safety is the priority issue with gritting then all right-minded people will understand the need for change.