Icy conditions cause travel disruption and issues for pedestrians as Moray Council highlight winter gritting campaign
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ICY conditions on roads and pavements around Moray are causing issues for drivers and pedestrians alike.
Cars have been at crawling pace on ice-covered streets in residential areas, with tie-toeing pedestrians struggling on the ice in town centres.
The morning was particularly difficult for many with traffic built up during the school run.
Gritters have been out, with Moray Council having set a number of priority routes for the "unique weather event".
The council releases gritting figures weekly – on a Monday – during winter. Latest figures show that 378 hours were spent gritting 4819 miles of road from November 27 until December 3.
A Moray Council spokesperson said: “We need to have a prioritised treatment plan given it’s not possible to treat all locations at the same time.
"We do that via our winter maintenance plan and priority routes for gritting.
"The Met Office confirmed the weather this week is a unique event and our team were monitoring the situation to inform our response, which was to deploy the gritting team following the priority routes.”
The council are encouraging locals to get out and throw some grit on icy pavements and road themselves.
They added: "Lots of you have been using these boxes and we're grateful to you. The team is working through the requests for refills and they'll get to all requests as soon as possible."
The council's winter gritting programme hasn't impressed everyone, though, with many calling for more to be done to grit pavements in residential areas.
Commenting on a Northern Scot Facebook post, Keith Blakemore-Noble said: "Nice to see Moray Council gritting pavements and roads to keep us safe.
"Well, I mean, it would be nice to see them doing that, but sadly…"
He added: "The problem is with Moray Council, not with the hard working gritters, who do a damned good job."
Ryan Matheson said: "Very nice to see the gritters out doing their jobs. NOT. What do we pay council tax for? Ridiculous!
"The main roads near me haven't been touched! I span round the KFC roundabout last night!"
Fiona Walker described the area around Elgin Academy as an "ice rink".
She said: "It's a disgrace how pavements and roads are not gritted for public safety.
"The pavement that people use to access Elgin Academy is like an ice rink. People are falling right left and centre. It is not safe at all."
Chris Bull and Tracie Wills described similar situations in Keith and Forres, which Mr Bull describing Forres' town centre pavements as "lethal".
However, many locals have backed Moray Council and called for local residents to do more to help each other.
Val Stewart-Toner said: "I find it sad that people can moan about it but expect others to do something.
"If you live in Germany you have to clear your bit in front of your house. Could you imagine if people came out and spread a bit of grit?
"In other words self help can be good, too, it would clear a lot quicker that way."
Miriam Ferrie added: "I love how people think the council control the weather.
"The gritters are out, but when it rains heavily then freezes the grit is gone. They can't do every road in one of two hours."
Iain Sneddon said: "Over 3000 miles of roads to grit in Moray, plus hundreds of miles of pavement.
"Of course, every road and council estate can’t be gritted overnight, yet people still whinge about it."
Do you have any thoughts of photos of ice/snow where you are? Get in touch via Facebook or by emailing newsdesk@northern-scot.co.uk
