Winter Service Plan 2008-9 (Abridged Version)
2.0 Background/Review of previous practice
2.1 As a result of the requirement to cut the standard of winter service in 2001/2002, advice was sought from specialists in the field of litigation. Adrian Runacres of the Transport Research Laboratory’s Investigation and Risk Management section offered advice on 21 Sept 2001. In expressing his concerns about this exercise, he recommended that the process should document the reasons for what is done rather than focussing on justifying the areas of cuts in service. This advice had significant impact on the methodology then in place. Past practice has seen the development of standards, based on separate inputs and local modifications from time to time, which did not have documented justification.
2.2 The public’s reaction to the standards can be used to gauge the overall level of customer expectation. However local standards will not be determined by such comment, but will be established from an analytic approach, this being the only method defensible in the event of litigation.
2.3 Public reaction to the reduction in numbers of grit bins is predictable. Too much should not be read into this self-help provision. It is a minor part of the winter service and is useful in emphasising that the individual should assume some responsibility for their safety, as suggested in the pamphlet “Winter Travel – A little care gets you there”. However this cannot impinge on the role, in terms of its Policy, that the council undertakes in respect of the public at large ie the council cannot transfer its own risk to the public. The provision of grit bins is determined by risk assessment.
2.4 The examination of accident records is a useful part of the risk assessment process but should be cautiously evaluated for individual cases. The statistics are small in number, do not include all accidents or near misses and cannot always be attributed to winter conditions. (We use a map showing personal injury accidents per million vehicle kilometres).
2.5 As an ongoing part of the Management System the annual review of performance and experience of the previous Winter Service delivery will be held each summer.
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