Swaffham gritting bins removed over ‘misuse’ fears

Swaffham Town Council have put together a team of local volunteers who will help grit the paths during harsh weather in the winter - Volunteer Simon Rix ready to go with his shovel. Picture; Matthew Usher.

Martin George Thursday, February 14, 2013
3:53 PM

Two gritting bins were removed from roads in Swaffham during last month’s snowy weather because they were being misused for private property.

The town council received reports of people going door-to-door and asking if they wanted their path cleared using grit specifically earmarked for public footways.

Swaffham town clerk Richard Bishop told councillors last night the bins were taken away from Adastral Place and Orford Road.

However, he said Norfolk County Council highways department had agreed they could be reinstated next year if nearby homes are given leaflets educating people about the misuse of salt and grit.

Mr Bishop thanked the gritting volunteer team which helped to keep some pavements in the town clear during the snow, but said more volunteers were needed to cover more routes.

He added that the scheme in Swaffham was proving to be a role model for the rest of Norfolk, with six other councils contacting him for information about how to run a volunteer gritting team.

He said: “I think it’s a worthwhile scheme. Our gritting scheme is now the blue print that’s used around the county. I have had at least half a dozen clerks phone me during the cold snap to see how we did it.

“I hope I have not put them off. It’s tough but it’s quite nice being able to do something rather than just passing on the complaints.”

The volunteer gritting team are due to meet at the end of March to review how this year’s scheme worked, and suggest any improvements for 2014.