Quedgeley missed from winter gritting plans

The Liberal Democrats are demanding answers as to why Quedgeley is missing out on being gritted.

Gloucestershire County Council has released data detailing the roads that are to receive gritting this winter but Quedgeley is not included in those plans.

The plans detail what are considered 'key routes' which are gritted whenever freezing temperatures are expected.

Key routes are the main arterial A and B roads which link to major towns, cities and the motorway network.

They also provide access to key emergency facilities such as hospitals and fire stations.

The plans show roads in and around areas such as Kingsway, Tuffley, Podsmead and Linden all have their key arterial roads considered a key route.

With the exception of Kingsway and the A38 bypass, none of Quedgeley's roads are 'key routes'.

Liam Harries, Liberal Democrat campaigner in Quedgeley, said: "I think it's outrageous that an area as large as Quedgeley has been left out of these plans.

"Bristol Road, Severnvale Drive and Field Court Drive are all busy roads that should be considered key routes in the plans.

"Bristol Road is gritted elsewhere so why single out Quedgeley?"

The county council highways winter service team grits over 1,000 miles of the county's 3,300 mile road network however the plans show minimal coverage in Quedgeley.

Gritting along Bristol Road stops upon entering Quedgeley and resumes once it leaves.

Quedgeley Liberal Democrats have written to the county council to ask why these roads have been missed from the key routes.

"We are also asking the county council to reconsider the plans in order to improve road safety for residents in Quedgeley," Mr Harries said.

"We want to see the missing part of Bristol Road, Field Court Drive and Severnvale Drive included in the list of key routes for gritting."