Grit team praised for superb effort

Photo: picture by DARREN ROBINSON

TEAMWORK .... Councillor Mark Alcock (front left) and Tony Noblet, pictured with one of the gritting teams.

Meet Oldham’s true men of grit . . . the dedicated team who kept the borough’s key roads open during the snow.

Councillor’s and senior managers at Oldham Council have praised the team for their hard work, day and night, to ensure traffic kept moving.

And the cabinet member for the Environment and Infrastructure Councillor Mark Alcock, paid a personal visit to the teams at the council’s Moorhey Street depot to thank them.

He said: “Having struggled to keep the majority of Oldham’s roads clear through the worst snow storms the country has seen for nearly 20 years, I thought it was only right to come and thank the people responsible in person.

“And I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who helped keep the vast majority of council’s services running in less than perfect conditions.”

Throughout the freezing weather, council gritting teams worked 24-hour shifts on some of the hilliest and highest roads in the country, including the notorious trans-pennine routes. In one case, a gritter driver saved a mystery man who was discovered under snow in the doorway of The Rams Head on hills above Denshaw during a blizzard..

Councillor Alcock said the council’s good working practises managed to keep main roads open.

And the council’s Director of Highways and Operational Services, Tony Noblet, said: “Our gritters have not only been battling the weather, but also the borough’s geography, something that makes keeping the road network open even harder.

“The teams have done an absolute superb job and I would like to thank all those involved.”

Mike Rooke, secretary of Greenfield and Grasscroft Residents Association said: “I am pleased the council kept all main roads open and moving. We appreciate their efforts.”

However, as part of the national response to the recent exceptional weather, the Cabinet Office has now taken control of grit deliveries to priority areas.

With supplies and distribution now being managed centrally, Oldham council is focusing on ensuring the main routes are kept clear.

It is anticipated that these new arrangements will have a knock-on effect on the ability of the council to grit minor routes and keep local grit bins topped up. Also, in the short term, private sales of grit have been suspended.

Councillor Mark Alcock said: “We apologise that we have not been able to respond to all requests for extra gritting and the filling of grit bins and hope residents understand.”