I am a young, fit and healthy person. When the snow-fall almost 2 weeks ago occurred I invested in a pair of heavy duty snow-boots to ensure I could wade my way through the snow and ice on Beverley Westwood every day and walk my dogs. I have no problems with balance and posture yet this week i have fallen over 3 times. Why? Because no amount of snow-gear and young-muscle can overcome sheer ice!
The paths and road in Beverley and the surrounding areas are absolutely appalling (I am not dismissing that the problem extends further afield, it probably does, however it is my local area I am concerned about). I have suffered several bruises and a rather stiff neck as a result but I consider myself lucky, if i was a member of the elderly population of Beverley and I had attempted to venture out, I suspect I would have suffered substantially more than a stiff neck!
How on earth do Beverley Town Council and other local authorities expect the elderly, or anyone who has any slight impairment to their stability for that matter, to manage on roads and PATHS of thick ice! The third of my above mentioned three falls occurred this morning, the first over a week ago, so the paths have been abysmal for at least that period of time. I really cannot imagine what our local authorities are presuming the elderly will do? Simply stay in until the sun decides to melt the paths, stay imprisoned to their homes by slippy paths and roads because the Town Council are too lazy or the economy is simply too bad to put down a little salt?
I imagine the NHS would disagree with salt limitation benefiting the economy- if this is in fact the Council’s reasoning behind the lack of care. Or perhaps it’s because nobody can sue the Council for injury by ‘natural causes’. Unfortunately injury that could have been avoided had a bit of initiative been used. We are all too aware of the growing issue surrounding elderly people in isolation, we’ve all seen the ‘Age Concern’ adverts appealing to people to help, many of our elderly neighbours are in positions of struggle and isolation on a regular basis, we are aware of this yet the Council have decided to condemn them to a winter of isolation even more insipid than is often, unfortunately the case.
If i had back problems, sore knees, an incapacitating disability, an illness i would not want to attempt to walk on sheer ice to get to my local supermarket, i barely dare attempt it without any of the above! I wonder if they mind having to choose between injury and food? Many of these people have no help!
With ice on the roads they cannot help themselves! I do not understand why something has not been done about it! In the area of town i live in, NOTHING has been done in aid as far as i can see. I am not a ‘Gritting expert’ nor a member of the Council and i don’t know exactly what should be done, but as a citizen of Beverley I do not remember it being this bad in the past and I really can’t imagine doing NOTHING was/is the only option for ridding the paths of ice. I think the situation is ridiculous.
The people suffering the most will not, i imagine, be in a position to speak out so I just want Beverley Town Council and whoever else is responsible for the lack of responsibility and care towards the older population (and possibly majority population!) of our society this winter to be aware their disregard has not gone unnoticed.
Article by
Gemma Lucas,
Beverley Citizen