Cheshire East Council has been urging residents to use grit bins to help make local roads and footpaths safer during the current cold snap.
Yet, the authority’s latest grit bin map shows there are only FIVE in total across Nantwich, and none in Willaston and Stapeley.
The authority posted on social media yesterday that filling grit bins was part of their “winter preparations”.
Online, CEC says: “We have around 500 grit bins at various locations across the borough to allow drivers and pedestrians to treat localised icy conditions.
“The bins contain a mix of salt and sand which you can use on public roads and pavements. You cannot use it to grit your property or private driveway.”
But their map of bins shows there are only five in Nantwich – one on Birchin Lane, one on The Broadway, one on The Gullet, one on Bowers Row car park and one by The Crown Hotel.
There are none in the south ward of the town, none in Stapeley and none in Willaston.
Yet there are two grit bins on Wilbraham Road in Acton, almost next to each other.
By comparison, CEC’s bin map shows there are more than FIFTY in and around Congleton town centre.
And there are more grit bins in Shavington (six) than in Nantwich.
Resident Jonathan White said: “I saw just two grit bins in the three miles between Wistaston and Nantwich today.
“The Nantwich one had been used at the junction (probably by a member of public). More are needed and they need to be regularly refilled.”
Councillor Mark Goldsmith, chair of Cheshire East Council’s highways and transport committee, said: “We have around 500 grit bins at various locations across the borough. We follow a professional and objective decision-making process, in line with national guidance, regarding the location and number of grit bins.
“We assess the provision of grit bins on a variety of factors – including the road gradient, proximity to bends and junctions, number of properties and whether the road was previously included on a gritting route.
“New bins can be requested by selecting a location, choosing the gritting and grit bins category, and logging a request on our online reporting tool.
“New grit bin requests are reviewed from April until September, as part of our pre-season preparation and not during the winter.
“We use an objective grit bin assessment scoring form to assess whether a grit bin is needed.
“We have finite resources and need to manage these to gain the biggest impact for council taxpayers.
“We would encourage motorists to avoid any journeys that are not absolutely necessary during severe winter weather and to always drive according to the conditions on the ground. For further guidance, see the Met Office’s advice: Travelling in heavy snow and ice – Met Office”
New bins can be requested by selecting a location, choosing the gritting and grit bins category, and logging a request on our online reporting tool.
You can view the full grit bin map here.
Spades would be stolen quite quickly.
Looks like Cheshire east days are numbered.!!!
So public are allowed to use them to spread grit themselves? That is surprising, I would have thought the council would do them for littering or theft or both
I was waiting for a bus outside the old manor wistaston, cars were struggling to move with the ice and snow so i looked in the grit box next to the bus stop there was grit in it but no spade or means of getting the grit out? How do these grit boxes work if there are no spades? There were no signs of gritting the main road crewe to nantwich or to the hospital
They don’t even provide one when asked even when you live on a bank which encroaches onto a busy road. They informed me the gradient wasn’t steep enough even when the likes of Heroin Way and Marsh Lane have them with no gradient at all, typical CEC.
There is a grit bin on Reaseheath Way opposite Nantwich Town Football Club.
A grit bin near meanee /gerard would be good . Lethal up the bank