Row breaks out among residents over use of street grit for private driveways

Street grit placed in salt bins is supposed to be for public use only, according to council guidance, not for the clearance of private driveways.

Now residents using it for their private property as erupted into a row.

There are three ‘steep’ streets in Astley Bridge with reportedly no grit left for them, meaning the roads have been left icy and slippery.

One resident said: “Pretty selfish of people taking the salt for their own use.

“Gritters don’t go around every road hence why they put salt bins – they are not for private property, footpaths, or driveways they’re for public footpaths.”

Rain has a chance of creating a layer of black ice on roads that may be invisible to drivers (Image: Henry Lisowski)

Other residents viewed using public salt bins for private use more favourably.

Another added: “So you would rather someone fall, maybe an elderly person? The fall could finish them off.

“There’s always the option of buying some extra salt it’s not that expensive – that’s what we do on the court we live on.”

Another resident pointed out that people are unlikely to grit the road in front of their house without also gritting their private driveways.

Astley Bridge Councillor Hilary Fairclough said: “Of course, we know it does happen, but that’s not what the grit bins are there for.

“This particular incidence may have been caused by a slight misinterpretation of council guidance that people should head to their nearest grit bins if they need grit – the grit should be used on public paths, not private drives.

“But by and large most people do use the grit on the roads.”

Although the recent rain melted much of the ice in Astley Bridge, conditions were still poor.

Astley Bridge residents are concerned that private grit use is leaving none left for the public (Image: Martini)

Cllr Fairclough said: “It is still a bit icy outside.

“Sometimes when it rains it doesn’t make it better, it just turns it into slush, or creates a big sheet of ice that it’s hard to see.”

Grit routes are set in advance by the council, meaning they do not take individual requests on where to grit.

There are over 500 grit bins across the the borough in total.

Source – INDIA TV