Lynne Featherstone MP has today criticised Labour-run Haringey Council for their poor response to the recent cold weather. The Liberal Democrat MP has received dozens of complaints from constituents, who have expressed concern about the lack of gritting on their roads and pavements.

The charity ‘Living Streets’ this week released figures indicating that over half of Londoners have fallen over on an icy pavement, with 21% sustaining an injury as a result.

59% of people in London thought that their Council could do more to keep pavements clear of snow and ice.

Living streets have a website where people can remind their Council to keep pavements safe. The MP for Hornsey and Wood Green has been contacting the Council – on behalf of numerous constituents – to report hazardous areas.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“The cold spell was forecasted, so there is simply no excuse for Haringey Council not to have been ready. Instead of doing a proper job, the Council left many pavements in an incredibly hazardous state – endangering pedestrians and trapping many elderly and vulnerable people indoors.

“I sent an email to my constituents informing them of the location of their grit bins. Unfortunately, many of these were empty.

“This incompetence is what we have come to expect from the Labour Council. Residents really do deserve better.

“Although the cold spell is coming to an end, I hope the Council will look into what went wrong and do better next time.”

Living Streets’ Director of Policy and Communications, Phillipa Hunt, commented:

“Londoners clearly feel their local councils aren’t doing enough to keep pedestrians safe.  This is a reminder to councils that keeping pavements ice free and safe is every bit as important as gritting roads. People, especially those who are older and vulnerable, need to access their local shops and services and local authorities have a duty to ensure footpaths are as safe as possible.

“We urge councils to sign up to our winter plan for ice-free pavements including giving key walking routes the same priority as roads, supplying grit and encouraging the public to help clear pavements and redeploying council staff that are unable to do their usual jobs in the icy weather.”