Cleared Roads

[Moonboots]

I have been in Wick the past few days and what a difference in the roads.
Every street i went in, the roads and paths were cleared by the plows/gritters.

Come back to Thurso and may i behold... the roads and paths are still the same..
Hardly been touched....

So could anyone explain....... whats the difference between Wick and Thurso..

Thought it is a highland council budget....... has Wick got more priority or what...

Thats my rant over...

Poppett - thanks my path is perfectly clear.

[Kodiak]

I know what you mean Moonboots. I went to Wick today and the only problem I had was when I arrived home. As I drove up my street I got stuck in the snow and had to dig myself out. A kind Gentleman came to my aid as well and he gave me a good push. Thank you Sir whoever you are as you saved me a lot of Pain and trouble.

But our road is still under 9 to 12 inches of snow. [evil]

[donnick]

dont bit off me head , but is it possible that Wick didnt have as much snow as Thurso :confused

[Kodiak]

I do not think that is the reason especially as you drive around Wick all you see is massive piles of snow where it has bee plowed. Whereas in Thurso all you see is the snow lying level and it is plain that no attempt has been made to clear it at all.

[Moonboots]

Dont worry i wont bite lol...

Wick has had just as much snow as Thurso.
The reason is that the gritters have been working flat out in Wick while Thurso is hardly getting touched.

At the end of the day, we have the A9 which is maintained by Transerv, but the rest of the roads aint maintained by them... its the council that should be doing them.

[pink]

The main street is as bad too , with everyone not being able to park their car far enough in to the pavements there is barely enough room for 2 cars to pass on princes street. I had to pull over twice today , once so a bus could get past and then again further down for another car.

[greener]

It's all about priority and us Wickers are far more superior than at tee na bowler's :D Oh I Moon's take it your all Thurso now after spending most of your life in Wick???

[Moonboots]

Na.... Im still a wicker afterall but when you live in Thurso and dont want to kill yourself then thats more priority lol..

[KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN]

I do not think that is the reason especially as you drive around Wick all you see is massive piles of snow where it has bee plowed. Whereas in Thurso all you see is the snow lying level and it is plain that no attempt has been made to clear it at all.

Well I know that's NOT true the boys have been going all out have seen them running back and fore plenty and KNOW husband been busy as a subby!

[Venture]

I disagree partly with what you are saying Moonboots. The roads might be clear but the pavements certainly are not. Bridge Street and High Street were atrocious today. Hard packed ice with gallons of mucky slush on top. The ground underfoot at the pedestrian crossing was lethal not helped by the fact that you had to climb over mountainous piles of snow to get onto the road to get across. If it isn't cleared soon I can see a few visits to A & E if it freezes.:(

[KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN]

I disagree partly with what you are saying Moonboots. The roads might be clear but the pavements certainly are not. Bridge Street and High Street were atrocious today. Hard packed ice with gallons of mucky slush on top. The ground underfoot at the pedestrian crossing was lethal not helped by the fact that you had to climb over mountainous piles of snow to get onto the road to get across. If it isn't cleared soon I can see a few visits to A & E if it freezes.:(

I guess the problem is it's so widespread and with thinkly spread depleted council resources they can't b everywhere doing everything all the time....

NOT that i'm disputing your point - driving through Wick today I saw several pedestrians slipping and sliding on Bridge St - and helped to push a couple of cars out of sticky situations!!

[poppett]

Council came to refil the grit box today and got stuck in the deep snow and had to grit themselves out............said they would report it as it is bin day tomorrow and don`t want the bin lorry slithering into cars..........plough/gritter appeared later this afternoon and got stuck on the bottom corner three times and the top corner twice.

Oldfield sheltered housing is a nightmare and snow in over boots today when I tried to deliver shopping.....low priority apparently as all old folks who hibernate in winter, but what about the warden, care workers and health professionals who have to risk life and limb getting in and out.

Traill street in Thurso today was beyond belief with snow piled off the road on the edge of the pavements and no access point for pedestrians who had to stay on the road and play with the traffic.

We can`t say we weren`t warned this time before the deluge. We should have been better prepared.

One enterprising teenager was seen selling bags of grit for folks for their paths, apart from that we might as well be living in Portgower as there is more life there than here.

[Kodiak]

Well I know that's NOT true the boys have been going all out have seen them running back and fore plenty and KNOW husband been busy as a subby!

You might think it is not true but today was bin day and none of our bins were emptied as the lorry could not get up the road for the deep snow.

So I still say that the roads in Thurso have had no plowing or gritting where it is needed and that is in the housing estates where people live.

[KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN]

You might think it is not true but today was bin day and none of our bins were emptied as the lorry could not get up the road for the deep snow.

So I still say that the roads in Thurso have had no plowing or gritting where it is needed and that is in the housing estates where people live.

Despite roads being black around Huna and Canisbay main roads our bins didn't get emptied either - Wick was also pretty horrendous.

All I was disputing was the fact you said that it's "plain that no attempt had been made" but attempts have been made obviously they were fighting a losing battle!

[Kodiak]

All I was disputing was the fact you said that it's "plain that no attempt had been made" but attempts have been made obviously they were fighting a losing battle!

I repeat what I said, No attempt has been made and that is true. There might have been an attempt on the main roads but there's not been a sight of anyone where I live and that is a fact.

It was the same last season. The first time we saw a gritter was two days After the snow had melted away. I expect it will be the same this year.

[ShelleyCowie]

I know the council guys are probably doing all they can. But...(sorry you knew it was coming) the paths are absolutely unforgiveable! I went to frazers shop tonight (waited til hubby got home so i didnt have to take kids out today) and i walked the entired way on the road. Even on the road it was about 6 inches deep.

I cant fault the bin men, they always do me proud but i cant see them getting up my street tomorrow without some problems.

I think people are more annoyed that they can not get out. I can tell ya, athrun has been so hyper because he just cant go out in this! Its up to his bum nearly! :eek:

Keep up the good work tho with the council! They are doing well!

[Swannie]

If you think Thurso is bad come to Halkirk. Cars were getting stuck all around the village today if they went off the main street.

We did get the snow ploughed late this evening but why did it take so long? Pavements are still bad and people have to walk on the road to get anywhere.

I agree we all pay the same for council services and should have the same services no matter where we stay.

[Amy-Winehouse]

I have been in Wick the past few days and what a difference in the roads.
Every street i went in, the roads and paths were cleared by the plows/gritters.

Come back to Thurso and may i behold... the roads and paths are still the same..
Hardly been touched....

So could anyone explain....... whats the difference between Wick and Thurso..

Thought it is a highland council budget....... has Wick got more priority or what...

Thats my rant over...

Poppett - thanks my path is perfectly clear.


We`ve had volunteer`s in tractors kindly clearing all the main roads- not council employees by the look of it but it has certainly helped .

Thats got to be the most snow I can remember ever seeing here in Wick, theres probably been more in the last 20 years but I cant remember a fall like this week.

[Fran]

I was snowed in couldnt move the car and phoned the roads department for the snow plough which came soon AFTER. ThNKYOU FOR COMING, BUT THE SNOW WAS PUSHED TO THE LINE OF CARS SO i AM STILL STUCK.

[daisyc01]

I have been in Wick the past few days and what a difference in the roads.
Every street i went in, the roads and paths were cleared by the plows/gritters.

Come back to Thurso and may i behold... the roads and paths are still the same..
Hardly been touched....

So could anyone explain....... whats the difference between Wick and Thurso..

Thought it is a highland council budget....... has Wick got more priority or what...

Thats my rant over...

Poppett - thanks my path is perfectly clear.

Not sure Moonboots what streets you were all in Wick but you must have missed a few cause where I live it is certainly not clear :)

[sweetpea]

I've been taking buses between Wick and Thurso and doing a fair bit of walking around both towns this last couple of weeks and have to say I reckon Wick has been in a better state than Thurso. There's been a mannie going around in a little machine clearing pavements in Wick, ok not all of them but I haven't seen the same in Thurso.
Could it be that Wick has the council depot so get to baggsie the machines first, lol.

[KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN]

We`ve had volunteer`s in tractors kindly clearing all the main roads- not council employees by the look of it but it has certainly helped .




erm are you sure they are "volunteers" and not Sub Contractors? Husband being a tractor man.

[chaz]

I thought they were sub contractors also:confused

[Amy-Winehouse]

I have no idea but they werent wearing council regalia of luminous orange so I presumed(wrongly:confused)it seems. I will say they did an excellent job though - give them a pat on the back from me

[speedo215]

the roads are clear in wick but it is all pushed up against the cars, i have spent the last 2 hours digging out half the car, the other half is still inches deep in snow. Because the gritters have pushed it all up it is now massive lumps of ice, will get a photo of it later

[fatmaggie9]

Where I live never seen a plough since it last thawed - to late then!
We get mannie on wee tractor who pushes it about & leaves 2/3" on footpath & blocks drive entrances!

As it has now frozen you have to walk in road (hard packed snow which is fine), single track only, but, you have to dig a track to it if you want your car out!

As for getting in - that is another story!!

There are many elderly folk up here who rely on transport so don't know how they manage - agree we all pay for same services but Thurso town snow clearing is useless nowadays - it is a few days since last decent dump and all streets,pavements are v. bad. Well that's my moan re Council Services 4 now!!

[Jeid]

<sarcasm>The council have been round here everyday this past week clearing snow, just as well or I wouldn't have managed to get to work since Thursday </sarcasm>

But really, not a bloody gritter or plow since the last thaw. I use my van for work and haven't been able to get it out, despite some hardcore digging. Hard compact snow. The main road just over from the house is a main bus route and it hasn't been gritted either.