Salt boxes for Newbuildings

Last winter as the village shivered under a blanket of ice and snow, there was an outcry as a perceived shortage of salt and sand was blamed for the elderly and young families being stranded in pockets of the village, including the Primity Crescent area.

Heading the campaign to have adequate poor weather provision was rural Alderman Gary Middleton, who this week paid tribute to the Roads Service staff at Crescent Link for the site visit they made which led to the change of heart.

“I had a very productive follow-up meeting on Tuesday which involved Roads Service official Keith Cradden and Alison Wallace representing Newbuildings Community Association. I had sought the meeting because of written correspondence I had received from Roads Service which advised me that salt and sand would not be provided to Primity Crescent because the area did not meet the criteria.

“However, I made representations to Roads Service stressing the needs of the elderly population and highlighting how many very young children and other vulnerable groupings lived in the area adding that the gradient of the housing development was such that in bad weather these groups were, essentially, confined to their homes,” said the Alderman.

“I had sent a letter to Roads Service appealing for salt box provision and had been disappointed at the response, particularly as there is no other route into or out of the estate, and had sought another meeting. However, I have since learned that Roads Service had been out to survey the area and have now been notified that not only will salt boxes be provided for the village, but that extra salt and sand will be delivered when weather deteriorates,” he said.

“I want to thank Roads Service for their revision of policy, and I know that this will make a huge difference to the people of Primity Crescent. This ‘one off’ decision to provide boxes means this is the first time that Newbuildings will have have access salt boxes, but that access is vital,” he said.

Mr Middletown also revealed that a team of volunteers had now been identified in the village so that salt and sand can be distributed to the areas of most need.