Could less roads be gritted this winter?

A controversial overhaul of Powys County Council's winter road service could leave some north Powys communities cut off during severe weather, as officials prepare to downgrade numerous rural routes currently receiving regular gritting.

The proposals, set for scrutiny next Wednesday, will strip winter treatment from roads that have received service for decades, replacing local knowledge with a computerised ranking system that critics fear will disadvantage remote communities.

Under the new "risk and evidence-based approach," roads will be categorised primarily on traffic volume and proximity to major services. This methodology appears to favour main arterial routes whilst potentially abandoning quieter lanes that serve isolated farmsteads, small villages, and rural businesses across the region.

The changes come as the council faces mounting budget pressures, despite Cabinet Member Jackie Charlton's insistence that the review is "not a money saving exercise." Her admission that "every service area in the council is having to make budget savings" raises questions about the true motivation behind the restructure.

Local residents who participated in the 2023 consultation may be dismayed to discover their feedback has been filtered through what the council terms "national code of practices" rather than addressing specific local needs. The shift from community-based decision making to centrally-imposed criteria marks a significant departure from how winter services have operated in Powys.

The timing is particularly concerning given last winter's severe weather events that highlighted the critical importance of maintaining access to remote properties. Emergency services, postal deliveries, and healthcare workers all rely on the current network of treated roads to reach vulnerable residents during harsh conditions.

Councillor Charlton's claim that the new system will provide "an equitable service for all of Powys" rings hollow for communities that could find themselves effectively marooned when ice and snow strike. With over 5,500 kilometres of roads, the council's acknowledgment that it "cannot treat all routes equally" suggests some areas will inevitably be sacrificed.

The lack of transparency around which specific roads will lose their gritting service has left residents unable to prepare for potential isolation. The council's refusal to publish detailed route changes ahead of next week's meeting prevents proper scrutiny of decisions that could prove life-threatening for elderly or vulnerable residents.

Wednesday's committee meeting represents the last opportunity for public input before these sweeping changes potentially receive cabinet approval, permanently altering winter road access patterns that have served north Powys communities for generations.