Calderdale’s MP has hit out at the council’s decision to stop gritting about 200 roads.
As the icy weather starts to bite, Calderdale Council has revealed it has adopted a new strategy for stopping motorists slipping off the roads.
It is piloting a new policy of giving priority to the borough’s busiest roads, main bus routes and roads which give access to hospitals, emergency services and community facilities such as schools and shopping centres.
But the change, to meet national guidelines, has meant it has had to drop dozens of minor roads, many of them in hilly, rural areas, from its gritting routes.
The move has angered Calder Valley Tory Craig Whittaker who says it “lacks basic common sense.”
Clr Barry Collins, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, said: “We can’t grit all of Calderdale’s roads because of the time it would take and the cost involved.
“The new approach will ensure that gritting and snow clearing are done as effectively as possible with limited budgets.
“We’ve reviewed each and every road across the borough to assess which ones most need gritting, based on what they are used for and how much they’re used.”
Mr Whittaker said: “Although I appreciate the council has to review its winter gritting routes from time to time, some of the changes to their policy seem to lack basic common sense.
“For example, unlike in previous years, the council will no longer take into consideration the gradient of a road in deciding whether or not it will be gritted.
“Surely common sense would dictate that steep roads which experience a large amount of traffic should be gritted; but it seems like this will not be the case.
“Furthermore, many rural roads which have traditionally been gritted have been removed from the list.
“This will make it incredibly difficult for many residents of the Calder Valley to get about, especially those who live in rural areas.”
Calderdale Council has 18,200 tonnes of salt stored for winter and grits 575km of roads across Calderdale using a fleet of 15 gritters.
Abbey Lane, Warley
Allescholes Road, Walsden
Barsey Green Lane, Barkisland
Bedford Street North, Halifax
Berry Moor Road, Norland
Birch Lane, Luddenden
Blake Hill End, Shibden
Blue Ball Lane, Ripponden
Blue Ball Road, Ripponden
Boy Lane, Wheatley
Brearley Lane, Mytholmroyd
Bridge Street, Sowerby Bridge
Broad Lane, Luddenden Foot
Brow Foot Gate Lane, Highroad Well Lane
Burned Road, Shelf
Buttress Lane, Luddenden
Canal Road, Sowerby Bridge
Castle Carr Road, Wainstalls
Castle Lane, Ripponden
Catherine Slack, Hove Edge
Central Park, Halifax
Church Bank, Sowerby Bridge
Church View, Sowerby Bridge
Cinderhills Lane, Siddal
Coach Road, Hove Edge
Coal Pit Lane, Clifton
Cold Edge Road, Wainstalls
Corporal Lane, Northowram
Corporation Street, Sowerby Bridge
Cow Hill Gate Lane, Bradshaw
Cross Lane, Pepper Hill
Cross Lee Road, Todmorden
Cross Street West, Pellon
Crown Road, Boothtown
Dale Street, Todmorden
Dam Head Road, Sowerby Bridge
Danny Lane, Luddenden
Darcey Hey Lane, King Cross
Dean Lane, Triangle
Dean Street, West Vale
Deep Lane, Luddenden Foot
Dog Lane, Stainland
Doghouse Lane, Todmorden
Dry Carr Lane, Midgley
Dunkirk Lane, King Cross
Dyson Lane, Ripponden
East Park Road, Lee Mount
Ellen Holme Road, Luddenden Foot
Eskdale Mount, Hebden Bridge
Exley Ban, Siddal
Exley Lane, Elland
Fairless Avenue, Lightcliffe
Fall Lane, Sowerby Bridge
Farrer Mill Lane, Salterhebble
Fenton Road, King Cross
Francis Street (Part Of) Halifax
Furness Place, Illingworth
Gaukroger Lane, Halifax
Gibb Lane, Mount Tabor
Gosport Lane, Outlane
Green Lane, Pye Nest
Green Lane (Part Of) Stainland
Green Ups Terrace, Sowerby Bridge
Halifax Lane, Luddenden
Harper Royd Lane, Sowerby Bridge
Hathershelf Lane, Mytholmroyd
Haugh End Lane, Sowerby Bridge
Heath Lea, Halifax
Heathy Lane, Holmfield
Heys Lane, Wainstalls
High House Lane, Midgley
Hill Top Road, Sowerby Bridge
Hob Lane, Norland
Hob Lane, Ripponden
Hodgeson Lane, Mytholmroyd
Hollins Lane, Sowerby Bridge
Hollins Lane, Sowerby
Hollins Mill Lane, Sowerby Bridge
Inchfield Road, Walsden
Industrial Road, Sowerby Bridge
Jay House Lane, Clifton
Jerusalem Lane, Luddenden
Kebroyd Lane, Triangle
Lands Head Lane, Northowram
Lane Ends Lane, Old Town
Lightcliffe Road, Brighouse
London Road, Norland
Love Lane, Halifax
Low Lane, Wainstalls
Lower Brockwell Lane, Triangle
Marsden Gate, Sowood
Mayfield Grove, Rastrick
Melbourne Street, Lee Mount
Midgehole Road, Hebden Bridge
Moss Lane, Hebden Bridge
Ned Hill Road, Bradshaw
New Hey Roa, Rastrick
New Road, Greetland
Norland Town Road, Sowerby Bridge
Nursery Lane, Ripponden
Old Godley Lane, Halifax
Paddock Lane, Halifax
Park Lane, Sowood
Parkin Lane, Todmorden
Peel Cottage Road, Walsden
Perseverance Road, Bradshaw
Phoebe Lane, Siddal
Pickwood Scar, Sowerby Bridge
Pinnar Lane, Southowram
Portland Road, Halifax
Queen Street, Stainland
Ramsden Street, Wheatley
Range Bank, Halifax
Raw End Road, Warley
Rayner Road, Brighouse
Reservoir Road, Pellon
Ridge Road, Todmorden
Ringstone Hill Lane, Sowerby
Rookery Lane, Halifax
Rose Grove Lane, Sowerby Bridge
Rosemary Lane, Siddal
Rough Hall Lane, Wainstalls
Royds Avenue, Bailiff Bridge
Ryecroft Lane, Pellon
Saltonstall Lane, Wainstalls
Sandhall Lane, Halifax
Sandygate, Hebden Bridge
Sandygate Lane, Hebden Bridge
Savile Road, Hebden Bridge
Scammonden Road, Barkisland
Scar Head Road, Sowerby Bridge
Sedburgh Road, Halifax
Shaw Hill Lane, Halifax
Shaw Lane, Northowram
Shelf Moor, Shelf
Shelf Moor Road,Shelf
Soaper House Lane, Hipperholme
Soaper Lane, Shelf
Spark House Lane, Sowerby Bridge
Steps Lane, Sowerby Bridge
Stoney Lane, Luddenden Foot
Stormer Hill Lane, Sowerby Bridge
Stretchgate Lane, Pellon
Stubbing Lane, Triangle
Styes Lane, Sowerby
Sunnybank Drive, Greetland
Sunnybank Road, Greetland
Swan Lane, Holywell Green
Syke Lane Lightcliffe
Syke Lane, Ogden
Tan House Lane, Northowram
The Avenue, Hipperholme
The Drive, Hipperholme
The Long Causeway, Sowerby
Thorney Lane, Midgley
Thornhills Beck Lane, Brighouse
Tillotson Avenue, Sowerby
Timmey Lane, Sowerby Bridge
Tower Hill, Sowerby Bridge
Tree Lane, Wainstalls
Trenance Gardens, Greetland
Trimmingham Lane, Halifax
Trimmingham Road, Halifax
Trooper Lane, Halifax
Union Street South, Todmorden
Victoria Road, Sowerby Bridge
Victoria Street, West Vale
Wainhouse Road, King Cross
Wainstalls Lane, Halifax
Wainstalls Lodge Lane, Wainstalls
Wainstalls Road, Wainstalls
Wakefield Gate, Halifax
Walker Lane, Sowerby Bridge
Walker Lane, Old Town
Walton Street, Sowerby Bridge
Warley Wood Lane, Luddenden Foot
Washer Lane, Halifax
Water Street, Sowerby Bridge
Well Garth, Halifax
Well Head Lane, Halifax
Westgate, Clifton
Whinney Royd Lane, Northowram
Whitegate, Siddal
Willow Drive, Pye Nest
Willow Hall, Lane Pye Nest
Willow Rise, Halifax
Winterburn Lane, Warley
Winterbutlee Road, Walsden
Withins Road, Wainstalls
Wood Nook Lane, Sowerby Bridge
