A MOTORCYCLIST who broke her ankle in a crash on an icy road has criticised Lancashire County Council for failing to grit it.
Jacqueline Hodson, 44, said she was travelling at just 2mph when her Suzuki Bandit 600 spun out of control in Gannow Lane, Burnley.
The council said the road was not gritted because it was ‘unclassified’, despite leading directly to the roundabout at junction 10 of the M65.
Ms Hodson, who now faces six weeks in a thigh-high plaster cast on her left leg, called for the classification of the road to be reviewed.
The accident, which happened at 8.20am on Tuesday, caused traffic to tail-back along Gannow Lane.
The teaching assistant, who works in Nelson and lives in Padiham, had been staying at her partner’s house in Rosegrove.
She said: “Before I set off to work I pre-planned my journey and the council said the main roads had been gritted.
“As I came down Rosegrove Lane I could feel my back wheel go a bit and it was clear that none of the roads had been gritted.
“As I came onto Gannow Lane I was practically stationary, that’s how slowly I was going. I was amazed no grit at all had been spread in the Rosegrove area.
“The bike was straight and both wheels were on the ground but suddenly the tyres’ grip gave way on some black ice on the bridge outside the Gannow Wharf pub.”
A county council spokesman said its highways team only gritted roads classed as primary and secondary routes.
He added: “As an unclassified road, Gannow Lane is not routinely gritted.”
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