Leslie Cairns, who works as a self-employed handyman, had barely left his drive at Windermere Avenue on Tuesday morning in the freezing temperatures , when he tried to turn the corner his van slid on ice and bounced back off the kerb, breaking the steering arm – which has since been fixed.
Leslie said: “It’s a brand new housing estate, I thought they would have put a few bins in to be able to grit the road.
“Why are they not gritting it? It’s like an ice rink.”
Ironically Leslie was going to get some salt to put on the road when the accident happened.
He added: “I was going to Prestonfield Road to get buckets full with grit and grit the road.
“It’s like I’m doing their job for them.
“For the last two weeks it has been showing freezing temperatures on the weather app on the phone.
“You would think that the roads people would be gritting this.”
He added: “I phoned the council and got the receptionist to make a claim, she told me about their webpage and wouldn’t let me speak to someone else.
“She said she will report it, I don’t understand why it’s not been done anyway.”
Dumfries and Galloway Council recently moved roads to a top priority and announced funding to hire additional roads workers for at least the next two winters.
In response to Leslie’s accident, a council spokesperson said: “Our winter treatment policy is available on our website at www.dumgal.gov.uk/winter
“This explains the frequency and geography of where and how we treat roads and footways, as well as the process for where salt bins are located and how to request a salt bin if you feel your street is not close enough to one.
“In all our winter messaging we always state that even if a road or footway has been treated, it may still be hazardous, particularly as the temperature drops.
“All primary routes have been and will continue to be treated, as per the plan. In the last 24 to 48 hours, secondary routes have also been treated and footways will continue to be treated as and when resources allow.”
