The strategy of gritting the roads ahead of Storm Goretti, which battered large parts of the country this week, has been criticised by operators that branded it an “absolute shambles”.
As huge swathes of the South West of England remained without power and National Highways warned drivers to take care on the roads, haulage operators questioned why the company responsible for maintaining England’s motorways, as well as local authorities, chose to grit the network when it was washed away in the ensuing storm.
Paul Johnson, MD at pallet distribution experts Transervice Group and RHA board member, said: “National Highways and local councils were on TV yesterday saying how much salt and grit they had spread on Midlands roads during the day; however, we all knew heavy rain was forecast ahead of the storm – and heavy snow.
“When the rain came it completely washed away any salt and grit and when the heavy snow did arrive last night there were no gritters or snow ploughs to be seen!”
Ross Edden, MD at TWE Haulage described the work undertaken by National Highways as an “absolutely awful performance”.
He said: “It is extremely dangerous for the drivers, and not just professional drivers; it applies to all vehicles.
“What our drivers faced last night should not happen, vehicles getting stuck and sliding about.
“The impact on the business side will roll on for days,” Edden added.
“Multiple trailers worth of freight didn’t make their end point on time, which rolls onto the following days, which can then make other deliveries late.
“You then have the issue of drivers getting stranded in the vehicle, in the middle of nowhere with no facilities because they run out of drivers’ hours, which means we then have to send a van with relief drivers to swap drivers out which is another added cost.
“Gritting is one thing but our drivers didn’t see a single snow plough helping clear the roads and no police or highways agency offering help either.”
Johnson pointed out that most pallet network hubs are situated in the Midlands, but most of the roads in the region were rendered impassable by 6pm on Thursday night:
“Some trunks eventually got through but late, others had to turn around and try to get back to depot,” he said.
“We had four completely stranded all night.
“The net result is that customers’ pallets didn’t reach the hubs and onward connections, failing next day delivery, to say nothing of the risks to our drivers and other road users.
“National Highways need to rethink their strategy - a bit of snow and the country grinds to a halt.”
National Highways had not responded as we went to press.
