A pensioners group has raised concerns about the safety of elderly residents in Dundee after key footpaths were left untreated during the recent cold snap.
Dundee Pensioner’s Forum says the rest of winter is a “dangerous” and “bleak prospect” after pavements in several city neighbourhoods were left covered in ice.
Chair of the Dundee Pensioner’s Forum (DPF), Gordon Samson, said if icy conditions return many senior citizens will be forced to stay indoors for fear of falling.
Senior citizens across the city say too many roads and pavements were not cleared on recent freezing days and that activities such as shopping became a potential source of serious injury.
‘Frightened to leave homes’
Mr Samson said: “As winter sets in, older and disabled people across the city are once again frightened to leave the shelter of their homes for fear of falling on the untreated pavements and pathways.
“The recent icy spell meant that many were housebound and had to rely on family or neighbours to bring in supplies.
“Some are not so fortunate and have had to go out, holding on to railings and garden walls – or walking in the middle of the road to get along to the local shop.”
‘Streets not gritted’
Mr Samson continued: “Dundee Pensioners’ Forum has had a number of calls from older people, complaining that their street has not been gritted – including in Douglas, St Mary’s, Lochee and Beechwood. We suspect other areas of the city faired no better.
“We are dreading January and February.
“Not only will we have to contend with unaffordable energy and other costs, many will be afraid to leave their homes in case they fall and break a hip.”
‘The pavements were lethal’
Labour councillor for the East End and DPF secretary, Dorothy McHugh said she watched a gritter arrive at St Albans Terrace in Dundee’s St Mary’s district during the mid-December cold period.
But she said it didn’t appear to leave any grit.
She said: “The pavements were lethal. There hadn’t been a spreader before so I was shocked and watched it drive back and forth.
“I went out to see what he’d spread, but there was nothing there!”
Ms McHugh added that dangerous pavements in the East End when compared with ice-free areas on the waterfront, suggests that Dundee is a “tale of two cities.”
‘Health services already struggling’
Labour councillor for Strathmartine, Kevin Keenan on Friday said: “Dundee City Council and NHS Tayside should be working very closely together on the cities winter maintenance planning.
“The ambulance and A&E services are already struggling to manage demand, without adding the trips, falls and broken limbs that winter brings.
“Grit and salt costs less than heathcare”.
A Dundee City Council spokesman said nobody is available to comment on the criticism.
But on a web page dedicated to “winter maintenance”, Dundee City Council states that its aim is to “keep roads and footways as safe as possible.”
The local authority also makes it clear that “gritting and ploughing vehicles are on standby to act as required.”
A downloadable leaflet further lays out the local authority’s strategy for tackling winter conditions, including “priority” and “secondary” roads and paths to be gritted first.
Priority routes include those around “educational establishments”.
Conversation