COUNCIL workers in Pendle have been told to slash the number of roads they grit this winter - sparking fears that motorists will be put in jeopardy.

The move has led councillors to call for an urgent meeting with the county's highways supremo in a bid to thaw an angry confrontation.

Pendle Council has been told to reduce the number of rural routes it grits by 37.

Until last winter, Pendle salted all its main urban roads and half the outlying routes. Last year the county council ordered Pendle to cut the number of outlying roads gritted from 51 per cent to 35 per cent as part of cost-savings in the winter maintenance budget.

In February, after a spate of accidents on untreated icy roads including 14 in just one morning in Castle Road, Colne, county highways bosses relented and allowed Pendle to salt up to 40 per cent of outlying routes.

But this winter Pendle has been told to cut its rural road gritting back to 35 per cent, a cut of 37 routes - not including Castle Road which will be treated.

West Craven, Pendle and county councillor David Whipp claimed county bosses had contradicted themselves over gritting policy in Pendle. He said the issue was a matter of urgency and gritters were deployed in Pendle for the first time this winter earlier this week.

"People are being put in jeopardy. Gritting is not being carried out on roads that might need it. Almost 40 roads will suffer if the county council doesn't allow this gritting to go ahead," he added

"If everywhere else was as efficient as Pendle in gritting then the county council would save hundreds of thousands of pounds a year."

Councillor Alan Davies added: "We were able to improve the situation very considerably last year. What we are asking for is the ability to do that again this year."

Councillors have called for an urgent meeting with County Councillor Richard Toon, chairman of Lancashire's highways and transportation committee, so that gritting levels can go back to last February's level.

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