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Nick Harvey MPStanding up for North Devon since 1992 |
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COUNTY COUNCIL MUST HELP ISOLATED COMMUNITIES NOW SAYS HARVEY
January 12, 2010 11:26 AM
With temperatures dropping down to -10 degrees Celcius and with no respite in sight, Nick Harvey, MP for North Devon is calling on all the responsible authorities to marshal their resources to ensure that vulnerable people at not put at risk.
Nick Harvey commented:
"Understandably, and also tragically in the light of the fatal accident on the Link Road last week, the main effort so far has gone into keeping the main roads open. Residential streets and country lanes were not a priority with smaller communities entirely cut off by drifts and ice.
"Heavy and drifting snow has now given way to frozen slush and black ice in many areas, even more treacherous than the snow. Really dangerous conditions exist from Landkey to Loxhore and Burrington to Braunton.
"It is now important, in the moments of respite from new snow falls, that a major effort is made to re-open roads to our villages so that there is at least one safe route for vehicles in and out of each. Small village shops will need to have their shelves replenished, stocks of gas bottles re-filled, and fuel supplies delivered and milk collected from the farms. It is also essential that there is access for emergency vehicles to all parts as simple accidents or illnesses can rapidly turn in to major incidents in these sub-zero temperatures.
"The gritter crews have worked very hard over very long hours and in appalling conditions and we should all show our appreciation of their efforts, along with their coordinators and the emergency services who have also worked hard to contain the situation. The County Council should be using local contractors with JCBs to help on the minor routes where conventional snow ploughs may be ineffective due to high hedgebanks.
"Local businesses have been disrupted by staff absences, sometimes attributed to school closures, and it is important that all work together to get back to normality as soon as possible. Mail collections and deliveries have been severely disrupted this week resulting in late orders and delayed payments. It is to be hoped that the banks will be sympathetic in maintaining cash flows particularly for small businesses that can ill afford to incur extra bank charges.
"It is natural for elderly and mobility impaired people to stay indoors at this time: hopefully other people will keep an eye out for them and call occasionally to check that they are well and have enough fuel and food."
"A & E departments have been working overtime with extra injuries for slips and falls: we all have to take that much more care in moving around to make sure that we don't add unnecessarily add to their burden."
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