Un-gritted Coole Lane witnesses another accident in icy conditions

Residents on Coole Lane in Nantwich have witnessed yet another accident in icy conditions after Cheshire East removed it from its gritting routes.

Freezing temperatures turned wet patches into treacherous ice on the rural route between Nantwich and Audlem earlier today.

And one vehicle has collided with telegraph pole on the stretch close to Whitchurch Road, Baddington.

It comes after a number of accidents happened in space of a few days last month after the lane was removed from the winter gritting route by Cheshire East highways.

One Coole Lane resident said today: “I don’t know if there were any injuries today but ambulance and police were there.

“OpenReach vans are working in the spot where collision took place. We’ve had no fibre broadband here since Christmas Eve.

“They said the car hit a telegraph pole on section they were working on.

“Temporary traffic lights where bridge was demolished last month are creating more hazards.”

Temporary lights are also on a bridge which was demolished close to Sunnyside Touring Park in an accident in early December.

“Concrete blocks are now in place instead of bricks – but the bridge hasn’t been repaired – and temporary lights there,” said the resident.

“However, these often stop working as they have done today adding to traffic hazards.”

Residents and local councillors were furious when Coole Lane was removed from the council’s winter gritting route as part of its “Well Managed Highways” strategy brought in this year.

Cllr Rachel Bailey said the “carnage” now occurring on Coole Lane has “resulted in an unthinkable cost to road users, blue light services and Cheshire East Council”.

But in earlier statements, Cllr Craig Browne, Cheshire East Council deputy leader and chair of highways and transport, defended the decision to remove Coole Lane from gritting.

He said: “The council takes the safety of all road users seriously and during the winter months we have 16 gritters on standby or out actively salting our roads.​

“Our focus is on the most critical parts of the road network, including key local amenities, public transport routes and other risk areas.

“The new gritting routes have been determined according to published assessment criteria, with each road scored and ranked accordingly, following consultations with elected members, local highway groups, schools, cycling groups, town and parish councils and, above all, our emergency services.​

“These include known ‘cold spots’ and access to hospitals, ambulance stations and fire stations. When adverse weather dictates, we will treat up to 635 miles of the network.​

“We operate a risk-based approach to ensure that we focus on gritting roads where the weather presents a high risk to the travelling public.

“The ‘Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure’ code of practice is overseen by the UK Roads Liaison Group on behalf of the Department for Transport.

“It recommends that local highway authorities review gritting routes to prioritise the most critical parts of the road network.”