Iain Roberts

I’ve just spent an hour driving around Gatley, having compared notes with Cllr Pam King on the issues we’re aware of.

The big issue right now is ice at the end of cul-de-sacs and some other low-traffic roads.  All the main roads and most through-residential roads are clear of ice (though some pavements are still icy).

Pam and I are very concerned that people - especially the elderly - living on these cul-de-sacs - might be trapped in their houses or risk serious injury by venturing out.

For example in Gatley:
- Saville Road is mostly clear but has two absolutely treacherous areas of ice near the end.
- Sevenoaks Road, Hyldavale Avenue, Lyntonvale Avenue, the top of Leyland Avenue, Brogden Drive, Brentwood Drive, Eskdale, Cartmel Close, Langdale Close, The Tarns, Kentmere Close, the top of Troutbeck Road, Birch Road, the top of West Drive and Penrhos Avenue are examples of dead-end roads which still have serious ice problems.
- Some through roads with naturally low traffic also have problems, including Heathfield Avenue, the western section of Borrowdale Avenue, Charnville Road, Connor Way, Highcrest Avenue and Halstead Grove.

Pam and I have asked for attention to be turned to these cul-de-sacs and low-traffic roads, perhaps either by gritting them or leaving piles of grit by the icy patches to be spread by residents.

Of course, a lot of work is going  on, especially trying to deal with the need to switch focus from the main roads to these smallest of residential streets- before probably switching back to the main roads for the next lot of snow forecast.

By the way, if anyone wants more information on how gritting works, when it doesn’t work and what the problems are, this piece on the BBC website is very good.

See also my other posts on this issue, plus the comments made on each:

Report on snow, travel and services for 6th Jan

What gritting was done on the night of 23rd December in Stockport?

My experiences of snow and gritting in Stockport

Stockport’s been gritting over the weekend before Christmas

How’s Stockport done on gritting (26th Dec)

Stockport ice and gritting update, 4th Jan

UPDATE: There are eight gritters working around the clock on roads around Stockport Borough.  There’s a long list of roads needing their attention from Marple to Gatley, Reddish to Woodford.  I’ve got the roads off Pendlebury Road, around Silverdale  Road/Kendal Drive/Borrowdale in Gatley and around Brackenwood Drive in Cheadle added to the list.  The Council isn’t able to guarantee a response time, but I’m assured everything is being done that can be done with current resources.

If you’ve other roads that need to be added, please let me  know and I’ll sort it out (I’m around for the next couple of days).

Returning home from my parents’ today I found all the main roads completely clear, except for my own (small residential) road which was slippier than ever.  It’s east-west so gets limited sunlight on the road itself at this time of year and the snow has turned into an inch of hard-packed ice.

The same issue has afflicted the pavements across large chunks of the Borough - many are now treacherous.

I’ve been sent these two pictures of Tumblewood Drive (off School’s Hill in Cheadle) where there was a similar problem.  Seven people spent two hours clearing ice from the road and it was hard work.

I spent half an hour trying to clear the ice from the road and pavement in front of my house, with very limited success.

The question for all of us is what, if anything, should the Council be doing about it.

The Council’s approach to gritting is (I’m told) set out in a policy document from 2006 and is similar to other local authorities up and down the country.  Stockport aims to grit all major and minor roads across the Borough as a matter of course, but not residential roads.  Key car parks and high-use pavements are also gritted, along with some other key locations such as the entrance to Stepping Hill Hospital.

So there are two issues.

First, did Stockport do what it set out to.

As I’ve written in other posts, my personal experience is that it did, despite some very tricky weather conditions (e.g. salt spread on the roads last Saturday was partially washed away by rain in the evening, so the same roads had to be re-done on Sunday).  Some clearly disagree with that.  As a councillor, I want to make sure the Council has done what it should have.

Second, should the Council do more than is currently in its policy?  Should it grit all roads and pavements automatically, or perhaps grit some residential roads - such as those on slopes?

This is a tricky one.  Travelling about today, I’m very concerned.  I’m sure there are many people  - not just the elderly - unable to get around safely right now.  Many more people are sensibly walking in the roads to avoid slipping, but on little roads like mine that doesn’t help much.

On the other hand, I don’t know how much more it would cost to do all that additional gritting.  We could end up spending millions of pounds and then not get another freeze like this one for two decades - I just don’t know.

In the New Year I will be looking to review exactly what was done and, with my fellow councillors and our council officers, explore the options for doing more.  I don’t feel I’m in a position to form a firm opinion until I’ve got a few more facts, but you can be sure I’ll be reporting back.

Of course, you are welcome to offer your opinions and concerns here.  I also suggest you contact our local MP, Mark Hunter, and - if you live outside Cheadle & Gatley ward - your own local councillors. (I can address general issues, but am not able to take up specific issues such as a particular problem road when it’s outside my ward).

See also my other posts on this issue, plus the comments made on each:

Report on snow, travel and services for 6th Jan

What gritting was done on the night of 23rd December in Stockport?

My experiences of snow and gritting in Stockport

Stockport’s been gritting over the weekend before Christmas

Ice in Stockport - now we need to tackle the cul-de-sacs

Stockport ice and gritting update, 4th Jan

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

 Between today and 3rd January I’ll be spending some time at home and some time visiting relatives around the country.  I will be checking email and voicemail so you’re welcome to give me a call or send me an email - just bear in mind that I might take a day or so to respond.

I’ve been asked to post a list of roads being gritted.  This is the information I’ve received from the Council. I pass this on as-is.

An Ice Grit to routes 1-10 starting at 19.00 to 00.01 then a Snow Grit to routes 1-10 starting at 01.00 to 07.00

Plus designated Car Parks , Footpaths and Bus Routes

Routes 1-10 are:

PRIORITY ROUTE 1 - WINTER GRITTING

ECO CENTRE – TRAVEL TO TRAVIS BROW
TRAVIS BROW TO GEORGES ROAD
GEORGES ROAD
A6 TO MANCHESTER BOUNDARY
CROSSLEY ROAD TO BOUNDARY
A6 TO DISLEY BOUNDARY
A6 TO MACCLESFIELD ROAD
MACCLESFIELD ROAD TO POYNTON BOUNDARY
A6 TO GEORGES ROAD
BELMONT WAY INCLUDING ROUNDABOUT
LANCASHIRE HILL, TURN RIGHT
GREAT EGERTON STREET INCLUDING ROUNDABOUT
KNIGHTSBRIDGE
GREAT PORTWOOD STREET INCLUDING ROUNDABOUT
GREAT PORTWOOD STREET BACK TO OLD KING PUB
CROOKILEY WAY INCLUDING BOTH ROUNDABOUTS
CROOKILEY WAY BACK TO PORTWOOD
CARRINGTON ROAD
STOCKPORT ROAD WEST
STOCKPORT ROAD EAST
HYDE ROAD TO BOUNDARY
ASHTON ROAD TO DENTON BOUNDARY – BOTH SIDES OF ISLAND SAFEWAY
LINGARD LANE
BRINNINGTON ROAD – BOTH SIDES OF CENTRE ISLAND
TIVIOT WAY
MANCHESTER ROAD, RETURN TO BROADSTONE ROAD VIA MANCHESTER ROAD
SLIP ROAD ONTO MANCHESTER ROAD
BROADSTONE ROAD
GORTON ROAD TO STATION ROAD
STATION ROAD
GORTON ROAD TO BOUNDRY
THORNLEY LANE SOUTH
WINDMILL LANE TO GORTON ROAD
LONGFORD ROAD WEST TO BOUNDARY & BROWNING ROAD BUS ROUTE
HARROGATE ROAD & HOULDSWORTH STREET
LONGFORD ROAD TO MIILL LANE
REDDISH ROAD
SANDY LANE
RETURN TO BELMONT WAY, GRIT SLIP ROAD TO A6

PRIORITY ROUTE 2 - WINTER GRITTING

ECO CENTRE – TRAVEL TO STOCKPORT ROAD, CHEADLE HEATH
STOCKPORT ROAD INCLUDING ALL ROUNDABOUTS TO MANCHESTER ROAD
MANCHESTER ROAD TO BOUNDARY
A34 FROM MERSEY BRIDGE TO CHESHIRE BOUNDARY (INCLUDING ROUNDABOUTS & EXCLUDING SCHOOLS HILL)
A34 FROM CHESHIRE BOUNDARY TO MANCHESTER BOUNDARY
HIGH STREET
GATLEY ROAD
NORTHENDEN ROAD
PARK ROAD, TURN LEFT
CHURCH ROAD, TURN LEFT
STYAL ROAD
FINNEY LANE – TURN LEFT
TO JOHN LEWIS ROUNDABOUT THEN RETURN TO ETCHELLS RD
ETCHELLS ROAD
TURVES ROAD, TURN LEFT
CHEADLE ROAD – TURN LEFT
SCHOOLS HILL & ALL ROUNDABOUT AND TO JOHN LEWIS ROUNDABOUT
SCHOOLS HILL DUAL CARRIAGEWAY & RETURN TO WILMSLOW RD
WILMSLOW ROAD TO BROADWAY
BROADWAY TO A34
TRAVEL BACK TO WILMSLOW ROAD VIA SCHOOLS HILL
WILMSLOW ROAD TO HIGH STREET
TRAVEL BACK TO BROADWAY VIA GATLEY ROAD AND A34
BROADWAY TO WILMSLOW ROAD ( ISLANDS – SLIP ROUTES )
TRAVEL BACK TO ETCHELLS ROAD – WILMSLOW ROAD
TO HANDFORTH BOUNDARY
STANLEY ROAD TO FIRST ROUNDABOUT – STOP GRITTING
TRAVEL VIA A34 TO SCHOOLS HILL ROUNDABOUT
NORTHBOUND OFF AND ON SLIP ROADS

PRIORITY ROUTE 3 - WINTER GRITTING

COUNCILLOR LANE, TRAVEL TO A34
ON & OFF RAMP AT SCHOOLS HILL ROUNDABOUT
GROVE LANE TO CHESTER ROAD
CHESTER ROAD TO BOUNDARY DEANWATER
CHESTER ROAD TO POYNTON BOUNDARY
WOODFORD ROAD
MOSS LANE
ACRE LANE
JENNY LANE
BRAMHALL LANE SOUTH
BRIDGE LANE
JACKSONS LANE
DEAN LANE, TURN LEFT, STOP GRITTING
CHESTER ROAD, TURN RIGHT TO GRUNDEY ST GRIT TO A6
CHESTER ROAD TO JACKSONS LANE
BRAMHALL MOOR LANE TO A6, RETURN TO CHESTER ROAD
CHESTER ROAD TO POYNTON BOUNDARY, STOP GRITTING
ACK LANE EAST
ACK LANE WEST
RAVENOAK ROAD
MANOR ROAD
CARRWOOD ROAD TO BRAMHALL LANE SOUTH, STOP GRITTING
STATION ROAD, CHEADLE HULME
MELLOR ROAD, FULL LENGTH TURN IN CARPARK
ALBERT ROAD
HULME HALL ROAD
CHURCH ROAD
GILL BENT ROAD, STOP GRITTING

PRIORITY ROUTE 4 - WINTER GRITTING

ECO CENTRE – TRAVEL TO MILLGATE
MILLGATE
CHURCHGATE
SPRING GARDENS
HALL STREET
OFFERTON LANE
MARPLE ROAD
STOCKPORT ROAD
STATION ROAD
BRABYNS BROW
LOWER FOLD
GLOSSOP ROAD TO BOUNDRY (STOP GRITTING)
ARKWRIGHT ROAD
STRINES ROAD TO BOUNDRY & STATION ROAD(STOP GRITTING)
STRINES ROAD FROM ARKWRIGHT ROAD
STOCKPORT ROAD TO STATION ROAD
HOLLINS LANE
OLDKNOW ROAD
COMPSTALL ROAD
COMPSTALL BROW
COWLISHAW BROW
COMPSTALL ROAD
STOCKPORT ROAD
SCHOOL BROW
BERRYCROFT
HARRY TOWN
BREDBURY GREEN
GORSEY BROW
HIGHER BENTS LANE
LOWER BENTS LANE
GEORGE LANE
BARRACK HILL
HATHERLOW
OTTERSPOOL ROAD
DOOLEY LANE
OFFERTON ROAD
TORKINGTON ROAD TO A6 (STOP GRITTING)

PRIORITY ROUTE 5 - WINTER GRITTING

ECO CENTRE TO BIRD HALL LANE
BIRDHALL LANE
EDGELEY ROAD TO STOCKPORT ROAD. TURN RIGHT
GRIT TO WOOLPACK. TURN LEFT
GRIT BOTH SIDES OF WOOLPACK BRIDGE & J1 ROUNDABOUT
GRIT CHESTERGATE TO KING STREET WEST
WOOD STREET. TURN LEFT
GRIT BRINKSWAY TO ROCKS
EDGELEY ROAD. MORRISONS TO A6
EDWARD STREET
WATERLOO ROAD (TURN LEFT)
HOPES CARR (TURN RIGHT)
HIGHER HILLGATE
BRAMHALL LANE
BRAMHALL LANE SOUTH. TO ROUNABOUT AT B/PARK
LADYBRIDGE ROAD
ADSWOOD ROAD
LOWFIELD ROAD
LONGSHUT LANE
HEMPSHAW LANE
ST.MARYS WAY (BOTH SIDES)
LONGSHUT LANE WEST
SHAW HEATH
KING STREET WEST
HEATON LANE. TURN RIGHT & GRIT GEORGES RD TO RDBT
TRAVIS BROW
DIDSBURY ROAD
BURNAGE LANE TO BOUNDARY
KINGSLEIGH ROAD
MAULDETH ROAD
BANKHALL ROAD
MOORSIDE ROAD
THORNFIELD ROAD
HEATON MOOR ROAD
SCHOOL LANE
WHITEHILL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
GREG STREET TO REDDISH ROAD
NELSTROP ROAD
CARNFORTH ROAD (ALL)
MARBURY ROAD
KESWICK ROAD
SHAW HEATH (LONGSHUT LANE TO BRAMHALL LANE)
ADSWOOD LANE EAST
ADSWOOD LANE WEST
GARNERS LANE
*WOODSMOOR LANE (DO NOT CROSS RAILWAY CROSSING)
MOORLAND ROAD
KENNERLEY ROAD

PRIORITY ROUTE 6 - WINTER GRITTING

LEYLAND STREET, TURN LEFT AT BOTTOM
LITTLE EGERTON STREET
BRIDGE STREET – BOLLARD!!
UNDERBANK – BOLLARD!!
CHESTERGATE – BOLLARD!!
DAW BANK TO VIADUCT STREET
BUS STATION – ALL LANES
ROCK ROW
PETERSGATE – PART
HIGH STREET
WELLINGTON STREET
MARKET PLACE
LOWER HILLGATE – BOLLARD!!
UNDERBANK, RETURN TO HILLGATE VIA PETERSGATE
HILLGATE TO EDWARD STREET
PICCADILLY TO PETERSGATE
DUKE STREET
REST OF PETERSGATE TO A6
WELLINGTON STREET TO HOPES CARR
RAILWAY ROAD AND STATION ROAD (GRAND CENTRAL)
EXCHANGE STREET
MERSEY SQUARE VIA BUS STATION
PORT STREET
BRIDGEFIELD STREET
WARREN STREET
CORPORATION STREET
NEWBRIDGE LANE
BREDBURY TIP REFUSE PLANT
MIDDLESEX ROAD
THE LINK
NORTHWAY
BLACKBERRY LANE INCLUDING BUS TERMINUS
NORTHUMBERLAND ROAD
NEW ZEALAND ROAD

PRIORITY ROUTE 7 - WINTER GRITTING

DELAMERE ROAD, GATLEY
SILVERDALE ROAD
ST ANNES ROAD NORTH
BROWN LANE
OUTWOOD ROAD (ALL)
BOLSHAW ROAD
CROSS ROAD
HIGHFIELD ROAD, CHEADLE
HEATHBANK ROAD
QUEENS ROAD
BUCKINGHAM ROAD
ORRISHMERE ROAD
QUEENS ROAD TO WEAK BRIDGE
RADNORMERE DRIVE
DEMMINGS ROAD – COUNCILLOR LANE TO WEAK BRIDGE
ST LESMO ROAD, EDGELEY
NORTHGATE ROAD
AVONDALE RD (PART) – BUS ROUTE
YORK ST (PART) – BUS ROUTE
WORRAL ST (PART) – BUS ROUTE
LOMAS ST (PART) – BUS ROUTE
CASTLE ST (PART) – BUS ROUTE
GRENVILLE STREET
BLOOM STREET
CHATHAM STREET – GRENVILLE ST TO KING ST WEST
DALE STREET TO BERLIN ROAD
HEATON ROAD, HEATON MOOR
PARSONAGE ROAD
GREEN LANE (PART)
ALEXANDRA ROAD
ASHBURN ROAD
BOWERFOLD LANE
GREEN LANE (PART) TO ALEXANDRA RD
CLIFTON ROAD
STATION ROAD
CRAIG ROAD
LANGHAM ROAD

PRIORITY ROUTE 8 - WINTER GRITTING

GRANGE ROAD
RINGMORE ROAD
DEANMOOR ROAD
MARSHAM ROAD
MOSTYN ROAD
LYNDHURST AVENUE
HARLECH DRIVE
CAVENDISH ROAD
STATION STREET
HATHERLOW LANE
POPLAR GROVE – INCLUDING BUS TERMINALS
DIALSTONE LANE
BANKS LANE
TURNCROFT LANE – FULL LENGTH
GRAHAM ROAD
LUDLOW ROAD
BIDIFORD ROAD
ILFRACOMBE ROAD
WOODLANDS DRIVE
WOODLANDS PARK ROAD
CURZON ROAD
LISBURNE LANE – ALL ROUNDABOUT
BLACKSTONE ROAD
MALLOWDALE ROAD
ALFRETON ROAD
LISBURNE LANE
HEMPSHAW LANE TO ST MARY’S WAY & CHRISTIE STREET
MILE END LANE

PRIORITY ROUTE 9 - WINTER GRITTING

COMMERCIAL ROAD, HAZEL GROVE
BOSDEN FOLD ROAD
HAZELWOOD ROAD (FULL LENGTH)
BRINKBURN ROAD
CLARENDON ROAD
TORKINGTON ROAD (TO WINDLEHURST ROAD)
WINDLEHURST ROAD TO A6
ANDREW LANE, HIGH LANE
WINDLEHURST ROAD, HIGH LANE
UPPER HIBBERT LANE, TURN RIGHT
CHURCH LANE
WATERSIDE
THORNCLIFFE ROAD
BRAMHAM ROAD
HAWK GREEN ROAD (INCLUDING BUS TERMINAL)
HIBBERT LANE, CHURCH LANE TO STOCKPORT ROAD
TOWN STREET, MARPLE BRIDGE
HOLLINS LANE
CONSTABLE DRIVE
HOGARTH RD (PART)
BONNINGTON RISE
LEIGHTON DRIVE
BENTON DRIVE
COTTAM CRESCENT
HOGARTH RD (PART)
LONGHURST LANE
KNOWLE ROAD TO SCHOOL
MOOREND ROAD
SHILOH ROAD TO MOORFIELD ARMS
CHURCH LANE (STOCKPORT ROAD TO RIDGE)
RIDGE ROAD
WYBERSLEY ROAD
CARR BROW
SANDERLING ROAD, OFFERTON
SHEARWATER RD TO BEAN LEACH RD
BEAN LEACH RD TO MARPLE RD
SHEARWATER RD TO SANDERLING RD
TURNSTONE ROAD

PRIORITY ROUTE 10 - WINTER GRITTING

MIDLAND ROAD
ZURICH ROAD
GENEVA ROAD
HANDLEY ROAD
BRAMHALL PARK ROAD TO CARRWOOD ROAD
FIR ROAD
SEAL ROAD
DAIRYGROUND ROAD
ROBINS LANE
NORTH PARK RD (BRAMHALL PARK TO MIDLAND RD)
NANGREAVE ROAD
HILLCREST ROAD
GUYWOOD LANE
MARSDEN ROAD
SANDY LANE
GREAVE
WERNETH ROAD - PART (TO PENNINE)
PENNINE ROAD
SMITHY GREEN
WERNETH ROAD – PART (TO PENNINE JNCT)
HIGHFIELD AVENUE
GOYT VALLEY ROAD
WILD STREET
VERNON ROAD
BROADWAY
OSBORNE STREET
KINGSWAY
WARD STREET

See also my other posts on this issue, plus the comments made on each:

Report on snow, travel and services 6th Jan

My experiences of snow and gritting in Stockport

Stockport’s been gritting over the weekend before Christmas

How’s Stockport done on gritting (26th Dec)

Ice in Stockport - now we need to tackle the cul-de-sacs

On Saturday I reported quite a few faulty lights around Cheadle and Gatley.

To be honest, I wasn’t expected much to be done right away, with the bad weather and it being the week before Christmas.

So I’m quite impressed that some have been fixed, including the Christmas star outside Barclays Bank  in Gatley (where just about everything Christmassy seems to be working now) and the lamp near my house on Frances Avenue.

The light in the Gatley Green car park is fixed too (I reported that one a little earlier).

I would have  gone round to check the progress on more lamps, but somehow staying in my warm home with the family won out last night.  I did think the Christmas tree outside Gatley’s bowling green was looking very nice though, with the snow all around it.

A warning for today - watch out on the pavements, some of which are getting treacherous.

As the Stockport Express reports:

[Greater Manchester Police was] ranked either bottom or next to bottom in four national tables produced from the results of the annual British Crime Survey.

The tables showed that the area suffered from a higher rate of so-called ‘acquisitive crime’ – which includes robbery, burglary and car crime – than the five other English forces judged to be most similar.

It also came bottom in the proportion of these crimes which are detected.

In our area, in my experience, the police are doing a good job.  Our new Inspector Steve Gibertson (covering Stockport West: Cheadle, Gatley, Cheadle Hulme, Heald Green, Bramhall, Davenport and Cale Green) has picked up where Inspector Dave Turner left off.

The police work well with local politicians and residents, target their efforts effectively and are doing a good job - one of the main reasons why crime in our area is among the lowest in Greater Manchester.

Of course,  there’s always room for improvement and any crime is too much.  Also, people may rightly point out that our area is relatively affluent.  We have deprived areas, but large areas of Greater Manchester are substantially poorer.

Having spent perhaps more time than most out and about in the last two days, I thought I’d share what I’ve seen around our area in the way that Stockport’s responded to the snow (which, as I write, is falling heavily again).

Please use the comments to share your experiences too.

I was out at around 9am on Monday morning.  At that time the roads weren’t all completely clear, but none that I drove on was especially slippery and all were easily passable.  I spent the day driving and walking around Gatley, Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Bramhall and Woodfood and found much the same story.

By late morning all the major and minor roads were pretty clear and people were being sensible on the residential roads.

I was also pleased to see refuse and recycling collections, along with public transport, going ahead pretty much as normal.

Grit boxes were being refilled (this morning I passed the lorry refilling the one by Gatley car park).

Some people have expressed concern about the amount of salt being spread on the  roads.  Others have seen the salt being spread.

Of course, one real question we politicians have to ask is how much money we want to devote to dealing with this bad weather, which may hit us once every year or two.  The Council can invest in more gritters and the like, but that means cutting something else or raising taxes - neither of which we take lightly, to say the least.

Again, I’d be interested to know whether people feel Stockport’s got the balance right, or whether the Council should be investing more in dealing with the bad weather.

See also my other posts on this issue, plus the comments made on each:

Snow, travel and services on 6th Jan

What gritting was done on the night of 23rd December in Stockport?

Stockport’s been gritting over the weekend before Christmas

How’s Stockport done on gritting (26th Dec)

Ice in Stockport - now we need to tackle the cul-de-sacs

Stockport ice and gritting update, 4th Jan

Another one where I don’t know the details, but I’ll be interested to find out.

Greater Manchester has been designated the UK’s first Low Carbon Economic Area (LCEA) for the Built Environment the Government announced today. Ministers have been working with environment and economic chiefs in the city region to be named as the UK’s fourth LCEA.

The announcement means that over the next five years Greater Manchester will become a world leader on this agenda and enjoy a range of additional benefits linked to jobs and investment, sharing its expertise throughout the UK and beyond. The Low Carbon Economic Area in Greater Manchester will:

· save 6 million tones of carbon

· create an additional £650 million to the economy

· support 34,800 jobs.

Here’s the announcement. Can’t say I know what it means - I’ve no idea precisely which powers are being devolved from central government to Greater Manchester, but I’ll be interested to find out.

The ten local authorities in Greater Manchester have signed a groundbreaking deal, giving the area more powers and responsibilities devolved from central government. The agreement will unite the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities behind a formal arrangement. It was signed by Lord Peter Smith, the chair of AGMA, and Phil Woolas the Minister for the North West, at a ceremony in Bury.

There have been extensive discussions about the deal since the Chancellor announced the Manchester City Region pilot in his Budget in April. It recognises the role of Greater Manchester as a focus for national growth.

Here’s the message councillors have received about Stockport’s gritting from Solutions SK (the company wholly owned by Stockport Council which does these sorts of things):

“Over the weekend we have been doing non stop gritting operations, using 440 tonnes of salt.

Due to the road surface temperatures constantly remaining below freezing and frequent heavy snow showers the laying snow and ice will be slow to melt.

From Friday we have been in constant communication with the Met Office throughout the weekend monitoring the situation.

This morning we will be carrying on gritting operations on the tertiary routes along with hand gritting teams from Highways, Cleansing and Grounds with 2 JCB’s working on the High level Roads snow removing.”

See also my other posts on this issue, plus the comments made on each:

Snow, travel and services on 6th Jan

What gritting was done on the night of 23rd December in Stockport?

My experiences of snow and gritting in Stockport

How’s Stockport done on gritting (26th Dec)

Ice in Stockport - now we need to tackle the cul-de-sacs

Stockport ice and gritting update, 4th Jan