There have already been falls on icy pavements around the town this winter. A couple of weeks ago, a police officer sent the town council a memo on a fall by an elderly man on the sloped footpath from the Library to the Foyer. He had fallen on the icy path and had banged his head, causing a deep cut and extensive bleeding. He was concussed and it was possible that his hip was broken. He was cared for by the police officer and members of the public until paramedics arrived an hour later.
Shropshire Council claims it grits priority pedestrian routes around the county (after gritting the roads) but we don’t know what the priority routes are.
Ludlow Town Council on Monday agreed to ask Shropshire Council for urgent discussions to establish priority pedestrian routes in Ludlow for gritting. It will also ask Shropshire Council to provide details of the pedestrian routes that it prioritises in the area during ice and snow events.
Motion to Ludlow Town Council on Winter Highways Maintenance
Andy Boddington, Ludlow Town Councillor for Gallows Bank.
We are in season of ice and perhaps snow. There have already been reports this year of slips, falls and in at least one instance, a serious fall on a pavement that required a 999 response on footpaths.
Ludlow is a town of hills and slopes. We are also a town where around a quarter of households have no access to a car or van. Many residents feel imprisoned in their homes when the snow falls or the pavements ice over. That means they cannot always access medical and retail facilities or visit friends who might be similarly isolated.
Pavements are essential to promote active travel. They are essential for the physical and mental wellbeing of Ludlow residents.
This council requests that Shropshire Council urgently engages with Ludlow Town Council to establish priority pedestrian routes in Ludlow for gritting. We ask Shropshire Council to provide details of the pedestrian routes that it prioritises in the Ludlow Town Council area during ice and snow events.
The winter is beginning to bite hard. We request and would welcome an urgent meeting with the Director of Place and his colleagues to establish safe routes for pedestrians in Ludlow over the coming winter weeks.
Extract from Shropshire Council Winter Service Operational Plan 2018
12.5. Response and Treatment Times for Footways and Cycle ways
12.5.1. Pre-Treatment
Many of the cycle ways and footways have been constructed for the safe passage of cyclists and pedestrians travelling to work and school, so if temperatures are to remain below zero after 8.00am then the defined footway cycle way network should be precautionary salted as part of the secondary routes.
12.5.2. Post-Treatment and Periods of Snow
Footways and cycleways will be treated only as resources allow.
Cycleways, what cycleways? Having lived abroad the UK is miles behind Europe on this front. My next vote will go to the party that shares a valued interest in promoting more cycleways in our county, not just in the town but linking up all towns and villages with a safe cycle path.
As for the icy paths, I think this year so far is bad as I have ever seen around the town.