Councils Must Act On Ice And Snow - Survey

Almost two thirds of people in Northern Ireland believe their council is not doing enough to keep pavements clear of ice and snow, according to a new survey commissioned by Living Streets.

Of the 63% who made the claim, 20% of adults had sustained an injury falling on an icy pavement, while 37% knew someone who had.

Living Streets is a national charity which campaigns for better streets throughout the UK.

The group’s research showed councils are not paying enough attention to pedestrian pathways.

Living Streets’ Director of Policy and Communications, Phillipa Hunt, commented: "People in Northern Ireland clearly feel their local councils aren’t doing enough to keep pedestrians safe. This is a reminder to councils that keeping pavements ice free and safe is every bit as important as gritting roads. Older and vulnerable people especially need to access their local shops and services and local authorities have a duty to ensure footpaths are as safe possible.

"We urge councils to sign up to our winter plan for ice-free pavements including giving key walking routes the same priority as roads, supplying grit and encouraging the public to help clear pavements and redeploying council staff that are unable to do their usual jobs in the icy weather."

(IT)