No...

And they were not the only ones who had cause to complaint. A local clergyman actively encouraged it.

Canon Jude Harrison, of St Alban's Church in Larkhill, urged his congregation to complain to the council during his service on Sunday morning after being a victim of the cold snap.

Mr Harrison said: "Many people just couldn't get here. The roads were a disgrace and covered in ice.

"Even the main orbital route was covered in ice.

"The council is forever going on about health and safety but they haven't done enough to the roads.

"Many of the congregation said they were scared to drive home. Buses were skidding across the road.

"I have urged them to complain. I will."

Other people joined in the row when they were caught out by the icy conditions. None seem to think the council had acted properly.

Tim Paley, traffic manager at Darwen Coach Services, said all 17 of their buses had to be kept off the road from Monday until Wednesday due to the dangerous conditions.

He was eventually forced to take to the roads with bags of salt himself.

He said: "The road outside was like an ice skating rink. I cannot believe they have gritted the roads.

"Looking at our bus routes, they haven't been touched.

"It has caused real problems. We can't risk lives."

And Michael Morton, managing director of Blackburn Transport, added: "Most of our buses have got out but there have been problems with the roads on estates.

"We have seen gritters out and about but some of the smaller roads are out of bounds to us."

Local residents claimed their roads had not been touched. Peter Bush said Dunoon Drive, on which he lives, and Rothesay Road, both on a main bus route on the town's Shadsworth estate, had not been gritted.

Mr Bush, a retired driver, said he travelled along Shadsworth Road at 4 am and 6.25 am on New Year's Eve.

"It had not been treated at all at that stage, and the bus routes were not gritted. Those roads have not been touched," he said.

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