Shepway Snow Chaos Sparks Strong Words From Shepway Politicians

Shepway politicians have slammed KCC for failing to prepare Shepway’s roads for the recent spell of bad weather. Parts of Folkestone were rendered impassable due to snowfall on Wednesday night. The A20 coast bound was at a standstill, leading to huge tailbacks along Cherry Garden Avenue and in Cheriton.

This morning (Thursday), the roads were quiet. Vehicles that attempted to travel ground to a halt on hills in the town. Several articulated lorries blocked Radnor Park Road and Dover Road and with traffic unable to travel up the incline towards Payers Park, long delays saw cars abandoned. In the afternoon roads became passable, though conditions were wtill difficult.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and Parliamentary Candidate Lynne Beaumont has called for Nick Chard, KCC Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste to step aside.

In a statement on the Liberal Democrat website, Ms Beaumont highlights the losses to businesses and the dangers for the elderly and other residents unable to travel.

'There was absolutely no need for this chaos. Kent County Council are responsible for gritting the roads. They haven't. They knew it was happening and they have let us down, again. There can be no excuses this time: an apology is not good enough.

'Nick Chard, should wake up and smell the coffee, and look out of his window - or get someone actually in in Shepway to look out of theirs.

'Mr Chard, the unpassable roads of Shepway last night and today are your responsibility, your error. It is time to stand aside and let someone who cares, and can keep main roads safe, take the lead.'

Labour Candidate Donald Worsley emailed FUTS a strong statement; ‘Train standed 800 yards form Folkestone Central for hours, cars unable to get out of side roads. Delivery lorries going nowhere and gritters stuck, and yet only yesterday KCC said it was prepared for the further snow and had enough grit.

‘John Wayne would be riding on County Hall today if he was still alive. As for further apologies from Eurotunnel, one despairs. True Grit more like Bull.......'

Shepway Conservatives have yet to comment, perhaps unwilling to criticise Chard, a Conservative, or County Hall, which is under Conservative control. On January 20 a Conservative motion was passed which included the lines ‘[Shepway District Council] congratulates KCC on the effectiveness of its gritting of primary routes, as well as on its efforts to clear ice and snow, to the benefit of the mobility and safety of motorists on A and B class roads, busy commuter routes and other known danger spots.’ But also resolved to ask KCC to ‘extend its activities’.

In a statement on KCC’s website released before the snowfalls, Mr Chard claimed that the County Council had ‘prepared well’.

‘Where we salt depends on the weather forecast. We listen very closely to what is going to happen. We go where we think there will be snow or freezing conditions.

'The strategic routes are our priority on Kent's roads. We have also been out carrying out precautionary gritting of town centre pavements. We don't want people falling over.

'We have got about 5,000 tons of salt. We have maintained adequate supplies. As soon as we have used salt we have tried to replenish supplies.'

Walking from Cheriton to Folkestone FUTS saw little if any evidence of gritting or salting of roads and pavements in the area. Mr Chard has yet to respond to enquiries via email.

Update Thurs evening. According to this site gritting staff did arrive at the depot on Thursday morning, only to be told the gritters 'just are not coming out today'.