THE government’s policy on gritting roads during snow and ice was strongly defended in Tynwald today when the Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne paid tribute to his staff after the coldest period of winter weather on record.

And Mr Gawne had some straight-talking comments for North Douglas MHK John Houghton who claimed that gritters had not attended any of the roads in Willaston and Governor’s Hill during the big freeze when temperatures fell to the lowest on record at -12C.

“What is Mr Houghton suggesting? That we keep the roads clear so that people can drive their cars all around Willaston, but they won’t be able to go anywhere else because there wasn’t any time left to keep the main roads open?”

He also refuted a veiled suggestion made elsewhere that Mr Gawne had sent gritters to deal with estates and minor roads within his own constituency.

“I did not want to see any favouritism for my constituents. This did not happen. I noted Mr Houghton’s calls to the department and I asked for my staff to visit Governor’s Hill and I would be very surprised to hear if this did not happen.”

“Huge efforts taken by the department in the record breaking cold snap and I would like to place on record the enormous commitment and perseverance by the workforce in very difficult and unique circumstances.” He also praised the “fantastic community effort” to combat the severe weather.

Mr Gawne reported that the Department’s gritting teams had worked shifts of 12 hours on and 12 hours off throughout the period, providing 24 hour round-the-clock coverage to keep the main routes open. In total, 9,000 miles of roads were gritted during the period December 16th to 23rd.

He said there had been more than 300 requests for assistance and 200 tonnes of rock salt were used each day with a total of over 5,000 tonnes used so far this winter, compared to an average winter of 1,000 tonnes.

Leaflets had also been distributed to explain the department’s policy of gritting and to give advice whilst, for th first time, rock salt was also delivered to all the Island’s four civic amenity sites for collection by the public.

Mr Gawne added, “I understand that expectations will also outstrip resources at times such as we experienced in December but the first priority always has to be strategic routes carrying the highest volume of traffic, plus routes to the hospital and those for the emergency services, old people’s homes and disabled facilities.”

He said that there was also a necessity to assist Bus Vannin to operate key routes.  The lowest priorities were estates and side roads.

Mr Gawne reported that a review of the operations during the exceptional circumstances of the big freeze was being held at the moment, looking at the way the department responded and he admitted that “we are learning from some of the mistakes which were made.”

However, he repeated his praise of the department’s gritting teams and associated staff. “As far as staff were concerned the efforts they made were absolutely fantastic and I applaud them for it.”

In answer to a further question from Clare Christian MLC, Mr Gawne agreed that in some circumstances he believed the police were closing roads unnecessarily and keeping them closed for much longer than needed when they were actually passable.

“I have great sympathy with this through personal experience. On a couple of occasions I had to effectively break the law by travelling on a road near my home which was officially closed. I hope the police will work to resolve this general situation [with all the island’s roads] in the future.”

Responding to additional questions about the closure of the airport because of snow and ice on the runways, Mr Gawne listed the occasions when the airport was closed for safety reasons, pointing out that the lowest ground temperature reached -6 and the air temperature was -4 and falling. “The duty manager chose to close the airport at times and the department was kept fully informed,” said Mr Gawne.

“I also wish to point out that airport director Ann Reynolds cancelled a planned holiday break to Europe to personally deal with operational issues, staying in her office until 9pm each night through to December 23rd and I wish to place on public record my appreciation of the efforts by the director and all the airport staff in dealing with these unique circumstances.”

Gritter drivers said in December that they knew they were on “a hiding to nothing” every year when the freezing weather and snow hits Manx roads. “Whatever we do it’s never enough,” one driver told isleofman.com . “For us we know it’s a lose lose situation - whatever we do.”