LANCASHIRE'S highways chairman has made a gritty response to claims by Pendle councillors that there has been a climbdown over the winter road treatment policy.

Pendle councillors claimed there had been a U-turn over the treatment of icy roads following a meeting with county council highways representatives.

Now the chairman of the county's highways and transportation committee has hit back over the claims and blamed local councillors for not getting their act together.

After the county hall meeting, Pendleside councillor John David claimed a victory which would allow known black-spots such as Castle Hill to be covered by gritters.

Coun David who led the delegation said it had proved that local councillors knew better than county councillors what was needed in Pendle.

He added: "It was just a pity that it has taken them so long for them to see sense this year.''

But county councillor Richard Toon said: "We have not changed the budget for precautionary gritting.

"We had a meeting with Pendle councillors at which we pointed out to them that they themselves choose the routes to be gritted within the agency area. Indeed, it was Pendle's own area committee that agreed to take Castle Road, Colne, out of the gritting programme.''

The proportion of roads receiving precautionary gritting in Pendle was much greater than in most areas of Lancashire and Pendle Borough Council should have been quicker to realise the discretion they had in determining the roads to include in the gritting plan, he said.

Had Pendle Counci wished it, a different network of roads could have been covered right from the beginning of the winter, he said.

County Coun Toon added: "Let us hope that Pendle councillors get their act together now for next winter."

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