Councillors representing Holgate ward in the city have welcomed positive action being taken by the council, after a spate of accidents on Grantham Drive. They had argued that the absence of salt bins, combined with a dangerous road surface had created an accident hotspot in icy conditions.

Councillor James Alexander explained the background to the problem:

"Grantham Drive has had to undergo remedial work only six months after being resurfaced due to the council not getting the job right the first time around. Mistakes were made in the height of the speed humps installed and now surface water that used to permeate now settles on the new surface, freezes and seems to have contributed to cars crashing into others cars or nearby garden walls.

"Residents have said that there is no evidence of the road humps being remodelled during the remedial work despite this being given as one of the reasons for the work being carried out in the first place. I am now asking if the Lib Dem Council is liable for these crashes and if railings can be installed."
Fellow councillor Sonja Crisp explained how the issue was raised:

"A local resident, Becky Cook (see attached photo with ward councillors), who is 16 years old, contacted her ward councillors concerned about the frequency of car crashes occurring outside her home at the junction of Howe Hill Close and Grantham Drive. One car narrowly missed her mother after mounting the pavement due to skidding on the ice on the recently resurfaced road, which at one point has been raised so high there is barely a kerb, which we feel is partially to blame for this spate of accidents (see other attached photos).

"There are damaged walls, trees and residents' vehicles along that stretch caused by skidding cars which I feel is clear evidence of the dangerous road surface at that junction. The obvious ongoing danger prompted me to contact the relevant council officer who I'm pleased agreed that action was needed. A salt bin is now in situ which I'm grateful to Becky for utilising to make the junction safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians".

Local resident Becky Cook said:

"There have been many accidents outside my home and neighbours are scared that a car will soon go straight into one of us or our houses. One neighbour has already had their front wall wrecked by cars not being able to turn on the ice at the junction of Grantham Drive and Howe Hill Close. I am pleased to be working with local Councillors to try and get the issue addressed before a more serious accident occurs".

She added that there has been a telegraph pole damaged, a tree has had to be removed because of damage and that at least three cars have also been badly damaged.