BRADFORD Council has confirmed it will discuss potentially changing its gritting regime at an industrial estate following concerns raised by business bosses.

Nikki Redhead is managing director of Keep It Cool – based on Roydsdale Way within the Euroway Industrial Estate, just off the M606 – which provides food deliveries to supermarkets across the country. 

As previously reported by the Telegraph & Argus, Nikki said Keep It Cool articulated lorries were “brought to a standstill” during last month’s heavy snow and freezing temperatures.

Following that cold snap, she said she had repeatedly contacted Bradford Council – on behalf of affected businesses at the Euroway Industrial Estate – and called for gritting routes there to be changed from priority two to priority one.

A Bradford Council spokesperson told the T&A: “Changes to our priority one and priority two routes are considered each year as part of our review at the end of the winter season. 

“We can confirm the concerns raised by businesses of the Euroway Industrial Estate will be discussed as part of this review.” 

Nikki said despite repeatedly contacting Bradford Council over the last month in a bid to get the gritting regime changed at the Euroway Industrial Estate, she had not received a response from officers.

In response to Nikki’s concerns over this, the Council spokesperson said: “The portfolio holder did write to Ms Redhead to assure her that her email had been picked up by officers and that it was being looked at. 

“We are sorry that a response from officers has not yet been sent but it is being actively reviewed and will be issued shortly.”

Nikki said she was concerned about future wintry weather causing more issues and added: “Nothing has changed for us four weeks on.

“We operate 24/7, transporting food products nationwide on behalf of local manufacturing businesses. 

“To have our fleet stood down because vehicles cannot depart the industrial estate due to snow or ice means the drivers are not working and the business grinds to a standstill – creating even more financial pressure on a small company which is already facing significant financial hikes in April.

“We need the support of our Council to ensure we can all operate safely.” 

‘Extremely disappointed’

During last month’s cold snap, Nikki told the T&A: “We’re extremely disappointed and frustrated at the lack of support in gritting and road clearing.

“We’re a key industrial estate in Bradford and seem to be totally forgotten.

“We need Bradford Council to ensure that, moving forward, we are guaranteed gritting services during colder weather.

“Our employees, mostly local people, are trying their level best to keep business running, as is desperately needed, even more so during spells such as this – yet we are not classed as a priority.”

A Bradford Council spokesperson said: “The main routes into and out of the Euroway trading estate including Staithgate Lane, Kingsmark Freeway (from Staithgate Road to the first roundabout), all of Merrydale Road, Wharfedale Road (from Merrydale Road to the turning circle) and Rockhill Lane (the junction of Wharfdale Road to Boy Lane) are all on our priority one gritting routes and the other roads are part of our priority two routes, which are gritted after priority one routes are clear. 

“Unfortunately, during the recent snowfall and subsequent prolonged extreme sub-zero temperature, which meant the heavy snow had turned to ice, it took longer for our crews to be able to move on to gritting the priority two routes. 

“Grit is less effective on road surface temperatures of less than -5C and almost ineffective at temperatures below this, which we regularly experienced during this period. 

“Like other Councils across the country, we grit the roads on a priority basis. Our priority one routes cover over 62 per cent of the district’s roads which is over 710 miles. These routes include A, B and C roads, heavily trafficked routes, primary bus routes, roads connecting isolated communities, strategic residential link roads and accesses to hospitals, schools, police, fire and ambulance stations. 

“Our priority two routes include minor estate roads, other bus routes, and access routes to local schools that are of a varied width and not always capable of carrying two-way traffic.”