Ms Julie Harrison

Permanent Secretary

Department for Infrastructure
Clarence Court
10-18 Adelaide Street
Belfast
BT2 8GB

Dear Permanent Secretary,

We the undersigned ask that the Department of Infrastructure commission a comprehensive review of its Winter Gritting Policy, which was last, reviewed by the assembly over twenty years ago.

The current policy is not fit for purpose. It leaves prioritises areas of large population and discriminates against smaller and rural communities. We have witnessed the impact the lack of gritting in rural areas has on our everyday lives no more so than the ability for children to get to school as well as the ability for carers and healthcare professionals to visit and care for the elderly, frail and housebound.

We understand that not every lane and side road can be included in the winter gritting schedule, but at the very least, we believe roads which are a designated school bus route must be included. The children in our schools are being put at risk by the failure of the Department to ensure safe passage to our schools.

In the absence of the Assembly, we are asking you to make the necessary preparations to have the current outdated, discriminatory and inadequate policy reviewed and for us, the taxpaying public a say in a new policy.

Yours sincerely

The Undersigned