A CONCERNED councillor has written to Hyndburn Council to complain that roads in the borough were not gritted properly when snow fell recently.

But the council say the roads could not be treated despite advance warning of the snow, because heavy rain would have washed expensive salt away.

Tory group leader Peter Britcliffe wrote to council chief executive Michael Chambers to complain that roads were in an poor state after the snowfall on Sunday evening.

Coun Britcliffe said: "I have been contacted by numerous residents and taxi drivers regarding the poor state of roads.

"I have been told that although it started snowing at around 7pm, the gritters were not seen out on the roads until 10pm, by which time the roads were in a terrible condition.

"I have asked why it took so long for gritting to start and ask that in future, better provision for gritting is made."

Taxi driver Peter Cottam, of Burnley Road, Accrington, said: "By the time the gritters went out on the roads many of them were in a very poor state. It is bad enough trying to negotiate side streets in that sort of weather, but when you are struggling on main roads, it is no joke. Mr Cottam, a driver for Hyndburn Cars, said: "Taxi drivers have a responsibility to their customers and gritting should have started before the snow came. I'm sure the council get prior warning."

Hyndburn Council's director of operations Allan Hodge said: "We received an advance report of the possibility of snow on Sunday afternoon. But it rained quite heavily in the afternoon and any salt we put down would have been washed away and wasted. When the snow fell at between 7.30pm and 8.30pm our units were mobilised immediately, although it is not possible to treat every road in the borough simultaneously. We have not had any complaints about Sunday night and our department exceeds the required standards for road treatment."

Police from the road safety unit at Accrington said they were not called to any accidents during the evening.

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