Motorists unhappy with council grit

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Up to three-quarters of AA members polled reckoned councils did a poor job keeping minor roads open in the big freeze.

The survey of 20,000 members revealed that only 2% thought highway authorities did very well in coping with the ice and snow but as many as 75% thought they had not done very well or not performed at all well in gritting minor roads. Car insurance claims soared during the bad weather as motorists lost control of the vehicles in the snow and ice.

Southern England and North Wesern England drivers were the most critical over gritting of minor and major roads but local main roads work got a better vote from the members overall, with 81% saying it was acceptable or carried out reasonably well or very well.

But Northern Ireland showed a 92% rate satisfaction rate among drivers with councils' gritting.

AA president Edmund King said: "Despite the prolonged cold spell and salt rationing, we believe more could have been done to keep local roads and pavements safe in some areas."

Copyright © Press Association 2010

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