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Getting ready for winter

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By Marc McLean, local democracy reporter
Front
Getting ready for winter

A SERIES of actions are to be taken to ensure that Dumfries and Galloway Council is well prepared for winter kicking in.

A review of grit bin provision across the region will be carried out after councillors raised concerns about gritting on roads and pavements, along with the location of grit bins.

Assurances were also given that more work would be carried out to improve the state of roads throughout the area before they deteriorate further in extreme weather.

Meanwhile, snow poles may even be introduced to act as markers highlighting road hazards to prevent large vehicles from tipping over.

Castle Douglas Councillor Pauline Drysdale highlighted this problem when the winter service plan for 2022/23 was being discussed at the council’s communities committee last week.

She said: “We’ve had some instances on some of our more rural roads with large vehicles tipping over in passing places.

“I did ask a couple of years ago if there would be snow poles installed in those passing places – snow poles of a higher height so that vehicles know where the passing places are.

“Tipping over does obviously endanger life and causes a lot of back-up in these rural communities when the roads are blocked for some time.”

Stuart Caven, a team leader with the council’s roads department, said that he wasn’t aware of any discussions surrounding the installation of snow poles, but would look into it with his colleagues.

Meanwhile, Annandale East and Eskdale Councillor Archie Dryburgh, added: “I think it is about time that we reviewed where the grit bins are.

“There has been a lot of building in Dumfries and Galloway – extensions to towns and villages across the area – and so it might be an idea to do a review and come back at a later date with a report on it.”

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