council gritters

[wicker]

how many more accidents will there be on the wick to thurso road before they will start putting the gritters out in the morning

[Bill Fernie]

I would point out that the heading for your post is incorrect. The council had the reponsibility removed by the Scottish Executive and a contract was given to a private company BEAR. It is confusing but responsibility for most of the trunk road system is is not the council's any longer. The council will like many others make representations to BEAR to have certain work done from time to time but has no authority to force them to carry out work.

[wicker]

I know bear do the best part of the gritting but they only do main roads so the do the A9 so they dont cover from wick to the causeymire, this is the council that do this.

[JAWS]

As far as I can tell BEAR have responsibility for the A9(T) and the A99 but not the Wick/Thurso road from the traffic lights in Wick to the Causewaymire at it's Thurso end which is still the responsibility of the local council.

However, I seem to remember a report some time ago that Castletown Community Council had asked Edinburgh for details of BEAR's responsibilities and were told, very politely of course, that the information was "commercially sensitive" and to go away and mind their own business.

Just how a signed, sealed and delivered contract can still be "commercially sensitive" I find very strange. The only people who would still have a "commercial interest" in the contract would be people who put in alternative bids. (If nobody knows the details of the winning contract who can say who put in the best bid) If the contract is not fulfilled who will be able to complain? If complaints are made they can be simply dealt with, "It's not in the contract!"

The only way I can see the situation being resolved is when somebody is killed at one of the boundaries and a legal decision has to be made as to who is responsible for the road conditions at that particular point. (Any volunteers?)

So much for "Open Government"!!

[Bill Fernie]

Here is a link to the information about who is responsible for what http://www.highland.gov.uk/prots/snow_clearing_gritting.htm#LOCAL%20COUNCIL%20ROADS
The Causymire as part of the A9 and would appear to be the responsibility of BEAR

[Doolally]

Well I think that they're doing ok this year.

I drive to work around 6:30 every morning and the road has been gritted already.