Grit thefts highlighted in winter plan changes

Thieves raiding grit supplies were among the challenges faced by gritting teams last winter, a city council heard.

While the country faces a heatwave this week with temperatures above 30C, Stoke-on-Trent City Council is making plans for severe weather this winter.

Councillor Amjid Wazir told a scrutiny committee: "Last winter was a very severe winter. We were prepared for it but the winter was so severe it was difficult to cope."

A report said in the coldest months of 2024-25, the gritting team covered 272 miles (438km) of roads, about 45% of their network, which they claimed was more than the national average.

The meeting heard the road network had more than 500 yellow grit bins stocked before winter and 290 community grit bins that are filled on request.

Complaints were made to the council in the winter about the condition of roads and pavements near schools.

Estate roads also posed challenges because they were often narrow, with double parking in some areas, making them unsuitable for gritting vehicles.

Councillor Faisal Hussain said some busy roads that used to be bus routes were taken off the gritting route and asked for them to be added back on.

Thefts of grit also presented a "significant problem", councillor Diane Williams said.

She said: "I get reports someone has seen a car drive up, the grit has been taken out of the bin and then it has driven off."

She urged people who saw thefts to report the make of the vehicle and its number-plate.

Recommendations from the committee included giving grit to primary schools for them to use on roads outside their buildings, at a cost to the school.

Councillors for their wards could also review their distribution of grit bins to make sure they were in areas of greatest need, they added.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.

Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.