Red Bank “appalling” gritting decision lambasted

Powys County Council’s decision to only grit Red Bank and Borfa Green after snow and ice has settled has been branded as “appalling” by one Welshpool town councillor.

The town was stunned this summer when MyWelshpool broke the news that the regional authority had removed the two key roads from its ‘Precautionary Network’, meaning that the gritters will only routinely treat them for ordinary frost and ice.

Powys County Council undertook a review of its Winter Service arrangements and, on July 15, 2025, Cabinet approved a new five-tier approach as part of a cost cutting exercise.

But at last week’s full council meeting, Cllr Morag Bailey said: “It was a real shock to find out what is planned. We all know how steep Red Bank is and problems there, so the very idea that there won’t be preventative gritting to that area means they will only come when there is ice already on the road, which is regular in the winter. I am absolutely appalled by it.”

Cllr Jackson Quarréll pointed out that it was similar story with Borfa Green and added that the Town Bus may not run as a result, creating more safety issues with people having to walk into town on icy pavements.

Powys County Council is putting over 100 new gritting bins across the county to compensate for the cut, but this was highlighted as impractical for places like Red Bank.

The Town Council will share its concerns with Powys, and urge them to have a rethink with Mayor, Cllr Bill Rowell, stressing that: “Red Bank may not be an A or B road but it does have a significant amount of traffic.”