Minister Chris Hazzard MLA
Department for Infrastructure
Clarence Court
10-18 Adelaide Street
Belfast
BT2 8GB
Dear Minister,
We write to seek an urgent review of your departments Winter Gritting Policy.
We believe the current policy is not fit for purpose, it does not meet the needs of our rural communities and it is putting lives at risk. In particular, we would seek to have all school bus routes included in the Winter Gritting Schedule as of right.
Secondary Gritting, is Second Class Treatment for us as a rural community and for our children. It’s too inconsistent, it means a road can be treated one morning and not the next, it means some areas get salted whist others do not. It is appalling and as local communities we’re demanding action.
At present your department only grits roads which have 1500 vehicle movements a day. This is an unrealistic target for many rural communities. We have a large number of rural schools in this community and many are unreachable for parents on mornings where there has been frost or snow. Better still, many bus drivers are refusing to even attempt some roads because of the lack of salting and understandably so.
No policy should treat rural communities and rural schools as second class citizens, and furthermore this cannot be looked at in pure monetary terms.
We are pleading with you to take action. We want to see ‘All School Bus Routes Gritted.’
Updates
December 2, 2016
The feedback from parents regarding hazardous road conditions remains constant and serves as a powerful reminder of why this review is necessary. I am currently compiling these accounts to present directly to the Department for Infrastructure. We remain focused on securing a meeting to advocate for the safety of our rural school bus routes.
December 2, 2016
The momentum behind this request is clear and indicates that our rural communities will no longer accept inconsistent safety measures. This outpouring of support demonstrates that the current policy requires a swift and decisive review.
27 Comments
My daughter attends Clea Primary school keady. We deserve to have our children's safety and education protected. Salt this road
Please consider our children and parents safety as they try to get to school on very dangerous road conditions. Salt the roads in rural areas when needed .
Clay road , Keady , Co Armagh is horrific and awful for school kids having to travel on it!! It badly needs gritted
The safety of children and staff travelling to school is paramount. Patents do not want unforeseen school closures due to this. Governments are always complaining about the importance of education. Use ur initiative and salt the roads to all schools, don't wait until there are accidents or worse.
My child goes to clea Primary school and the road is treacherous in the winter....I Can't believe Routes with Primary schools don't automatically qualify for gritting
It's cheaper to grit the roads.
No excuse! All school bus routes need gritted.
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Minister Chris Hazzard MLA
Department for Infrastructure
Clarence Court
10-18 Adelaide Street
Belfast
BT2 8GB
Dear Minister,
We write to seek an urgent review of your departments Winter Gritting Policy.
We believe the current policy is not fit for purpose, it does not meet the needs of our rural communities and it is putting lives at risk. In particular, we would seek to have all school bus routes included in the Winter Gritting Schedule as of right.
Secondary Gritting, is Second Class Treatment for us as a rural community and for our children. It’s too inconsistent, it means a road can be treated one morning and not the next, it means some areas get salted whist others do not. It is appalling and as local communities we’re demanding action.
At present your department only grits roads which have 1500 vehicle movements a day. This is an unrealistic target for many rural communities. We have a large number of rural schools in this community and many are unreachable for parents on mornings where there has been frost or snow. Better still, many bus drivers are refusing to even attempt some roads because of the lack of salting and understandably so.
No policy should treat rural communities and rural schools as second class citizens, and furthermore this cannot be looked at in pure monetary terms.
We are pleading with you to take action. We want to see ‘All School Bus Routes Gritted.’
Updates
December 2, 2016
The feedback from parents regarding hazardous road conditions remains constant and serves as a powerful reminder of why this review is necessary. I am currently compiling these accounts to present directly to the Department for Infrastructure. We remain focused on securing a meeting to advocate for the safety of our rural school bus routes.
December 2, 2016
The momentum behind this request is clear and indicates that our rural communities will no longer accept inconsistent safety measures. This outpouring of support demonstrates that the current policy requires a swift and decisive review.
27 Comments
I'm signing so that Clea rd Keady will be gritted. Taking mine and kids lives in my hands most winter mornings when I'm dropping g them off to school.
My daughter attends Clea Primary school keady. We deserve to have our children's safety and education protected. Salt this road
Please consider our children and parents safety as they try to get to school on very dangerous road conditions. Salt the roads in rural areas when needed .
Clay road , Keady , Co Armagh is horrific and awful for school kids having to travel on it!! It badly needs gritted
The safety of children and staff travelling to school is paramount. Patents do not want unforeseen school closures due to this. Governments are always complaining about the importance of education. Use ur initiative and salt the roads to all schools, don't wait until there are accidents or worse.
My child goes to clea Primary school and the road is treacherous in the winter....I Can't believe Routes with Primary schools don't automatically qualify for gritting
It's cheaper to grit the roads.
No excuse! All school bus routes need gritted.
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I'm signing so that Clea rd Keady will be gritted. Taking mine and kids lives in my hands most winter mornings when I'm dropping g them off to school.