Plea for community volunteer system to grit icy roads and pavements in Leighton Buzzard and Linslade

A plea is being made for a system to operate in Leighton Buzzard and Linslade enabling community volunteers to grit icy pavements and side roads during cold snaps.

Icy pavements have led to several people falling over and many side roads proving impassable in the town because of the ice and snow, according to a councillor.

The legality of spreading grit has been raised with Central Bedfordshire Council since January by Independent Linslade and Leighton-Linslade town councillor Victoria Harvey.

She wants “solutions and a new way of working with the community and volunteers in severe icy weather”.

Leighton Linslade Town Council has explained its insurers say that only CBC could grit the town centre surrounds.

CBC already grits the main arterial roads locally, but not the pavements. Its waste team do some clearing of pavements, if heavy snow falls in the town centres, said councillor Harvey.

“It has an agreement with some parish councils, such as Arlesey, where the town council grits key areas near doctors surgeries, and Caddington.

“The town councils in Dunstable and Houghton Regis only grit on their own premises.”

She claims Conservative CBC Leighton Buzzard South and town councillor Ray Berry and the town council leader rushed through a motion without discussion at the end of a meeting in 2021 saying that “it wouldn’t do any gritting, apart from on its own areas”.

At a CBC full council meeting last month, councillor Berry suggested that grit previously spread by volunteers “was washed away in the next full rainfall, damaging the nature within our local stream” and failing in its aim.

He said councillor Harvey attended the town council meeting when the decision was made. “The debate was quite simple … are we insured to do this?” asked councillor Berry. “Answer, no.”

“Do we wish to extend our insurance to do this? Answer, no, because quite simply the scope of what we need to do here is a moving feast.”

There seems to be “no keenness to discuss the issue” between the two Conservative local authorities, added councillor Harvey.

“We must work out how groups of volunteers can attend safety briefings and access equipment to grit the pavements and side roads, which CBC can’t afford to cover.

“Some people can change their plans, but many residents have to get to work, to school and to shops, or need to care for someone.

“They risk falling over on the pavement and hurting themselves. Many side roads are sheets of ice making it impossible to get a vehicle out,” she warned.

“Leighton Buzzard has such a strong community with many people, myself included, who would happily grit these areas. We need to find a way to work together.

“Otherwise icy pavements and roads mean people end up in accident and emergency. One or two days is bearable, but it’s terrible for a whole week.

“We need a proper emergency response where the community is enabled, not blocked from helping others.”