An Unacceptable Response to Winter Weather
- Adam Jogee MP
- Jan 6
- 2 min read
Yesterday, following widespread disruption caused by icy and untreated roads across Newcastle-under-Lyme, I wrote again to Staffordshire County Council to raise serious concerns about how winter gritting and road safety were handled.
I had already raised concerns about winter gritting and preparedness ahead of the festive season, precisely to avoid the situation many residents have experienced. You can read that earlier update here:
What residents experienced yesterday shows those concerns were well founded. Large parts of Newcastle-under-Lyme were left with hazardous roads during the morning rush hour. I saw the conditions myself and received a significant volume of correspondence from residents reporting dangerous journeys, empty grit bins, and people unable to get to work or leave their homes to care for vulnerable family members.
Part of my job as your Member of Parliament is to make sure that the County Council does its job properly – especially when public safety is at stake. Where things are not working as they should, it is my responsibility to challenge that, raise your concerns and demand better.
That is why I wrote again to the County Council yesterday, setting out clearly the impact this failure has had on people across the constituency and pressing for urgent action:
![I have had reports of local people left unable to get to work and I have had further reports of people not able to leave the house to care for vulnerable family members. I know that there will be many parts of the County requiring attention, but you will appreciate my focus is Newcastle-under-Lyme and the people who live, learn and work here. I would appreciate an urgent response with a scheduled plan for ensuring these locations get the attention they require. And lastly, it would be helpful to understand the engagement the County has had with the District Borough Council on this too. Yours sincerely, [[signature]] Adam Jogee MP Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/93892e_344621277abf43d8a7b1aba8f81ef2b2~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_450,h_250,al_c,blur_30/93892e_344621277abf43d8a7b1aba8f81ef2b2~mv2.png)
![I have had reports of local people left unable to get to work and I have had further reports of people not able to leave the house to care for vulnerable family members. I know that there will be many parts of the County requiring attention, but you will appreciate my focus is Newcastle-under-Lyme and the people who live, learn and work here. I would appreciate an urgent response with a scheduled plan for ensuring these locations get the attention they require. And lastly, it would be helpful to understand the engagement the County has had with the District Borough Council on this too. Yours sincerely, [[signature]] Adam Jogee MP Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/93892e_344621277abf43d8a7b1aba8f81ef2b2~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_576,h_320,fp_0.50_0.50/93892e_344621277abf43d8a7b1aba8f81ef2b2~mv2.png)
I also raised several specific areas of concern that many residents have contacted me about. These include both main routes and residential roads, as well as issues relating to the lack of available, filled grit bins and safe access within local communities.
I have also raised these concerns with the Secretary of State, to see what assistance he can provide in ensuring the County Council steps up and delivers the response residents deserve.
It is clear that Newcastle-under-Lyme has been let down and left behind by the County Council’s response to this spell of winter weather. That is unacceptable.
I have asked for a clear plan for addressing the issues raised, including how roads will be treated going forward and how residents can access grit in their communities. I will continue to raise this matter, press for answers, and push for action until these problems are properly resolved.
I will keep residents updated as I receive further information. If you have been affected by icy or untreated roads, please continue to get in touch.