We’re all too well aware of the impact the heavy snow and ice had on the Island last week, with many concerns voiced over the preventative measures taken by the Isle of Wight Council.
Liberal Democrat Prospective MP for the Isle of Wight, Jill Wareham, tells us today that she will be calling for an inquiry at County Hall.
“I eventually ventured out to Newport in my car on Friday, three days after the first snow fell, and was amazed to see that the pavements in the main town on the Island had not been cleared and people were walking along very gingerly.
“I understand the emergency services at St Mary’s have been put under enormous pressure due to people falling over and breaking bones. Perhaps retailers should question the Council’s inaction to provide safe pedestrian access bearing in mind the amount of business rates they have to pay.
“Considering the Council was showing off their twelve new gritting lorries and assuring us they had enough salt to cope with 20 days of continuous freezing conditions just weeks ago there is a need to review the effectiveness of their actions during this cold spell. These occurrences are becoming regular and the Council should be well prepared to cope and make sure the Island does not grind to a halt.”
Image: Gemma via John Williams on VB Flickr Pool
