I WISH to congratulate Durham County Council on the gritting of Edmondsley Bank, a well-known trouble spot in winter, on the afternoon of December 6. This was not bad considering it was only 24 hours after the road had been temporarily closed by the police due to ice.

Just in case the council is not aware, Christmas this year is still on December 25.

Stephen Wharrier, Edmondsley, County Durham.

WHY is it that a couple of inches of snow can paralyse much of east Cleveland, especially when it comes at the start of winter?

Hasn’t Redcar and Cleveland Council learnt by now that it must be better prepared to combat our early winter flurries?

On December 5, roads around Lingdale, Moorsholm, Stanghow and Boosbeck, including the A171 Moor Road, were blocked for hours with vehicles whose drivers, quite understandably, could not manoeuvre through the snow and ice.

Many damaged their vehicles, while others had no alternative but to abandon them and walk.

Bus services were severely disrupted.

Modern forecasting should end these early winter snarl-ups because there is no real reason why the roads cannot be adequately cleared and salted well in advance.

The main problem is that the Labour leadership of the council is concentrated in the Eston area which gets far less snow. They simply do not understand east Cleveland with its higher hilly landscape. The result is that insufficient resources and planning goes into protecting us from the effects of winter.

As far as winter maintenance in east Cleveland is concerned, Labour isn’t working.

Councillor Steve Kay (Independent), Lockwood Ward, east Cleveland.