As temperatures recently plummeted to -7°C in parts of Merseyside, some commuters took to social media to complain about a perceived lack of gritting. The resulting treacherous conditions, traffic chaos, and severe delays across the region led to frustrated motorists posting that the situation is:- "totally unelectable" and that the:- "roads haven't been gritted properly."
 

The reality, however, is that the impact on journey times was not due to a lack of maintenance. In truth, the situation remained largely out of the hands of the local Councils.
 

On Facebook, Knowsley Council addressed the concerns, stating:- "Many of you have asked us:- 'If the Council gritted the roads, why were they slippery this morning?'"

Knowsley  Council proceed  to provided the following explanation:- "Grit alone does not melt ice, stop ice forming, or prevent snow settling on the roads... For grit to work effectively, it needs traffic to drive over it, crushing and spreading it and mixing it into ice and snow, so if you’re 1 of the 1st vehicles on the road after treatment, it’s likely that you’ll find the road is still slippery. It’s not possible for any Council to treat every single road, it would take too long and most gritting vehicles can’t navigate narrow side streets or cul-de-sacs. Instead we prioritise main routes that connect people to:- Schools, Hospitals and workplaces. You can see a full list of the roads we treat each time we go out on our website. Our gritters treated all primary routes in Knowsley twice yesterday, and again this morning. We will continue to monitor the weather and treat the roads whenever needed over the coming days and months. We know driving on icy roads can be scary, and it can cause queues and delays. We do all we can to keep Knowsley moving, we monitor weather conditions 24/7, but sometimes ice and snow happens In adverse weather conditions like those experienced today, always drive extra carefully, be mindful of the road conditions, adjust your speed and allow extra time for your journey. Our gritting crews remain on standby 24 hours a day to treat primary routes whenever they’re needed… even through the night. Which is why you may not see them. We think they do a fantastic job, whilst most of us are sleeping If you want to understand more about which routes we grit, which we don’t grit, and why, have a read of our guide to winter gritting in Knowsley, on our website."
 

In response to the ongoing issues, a spokesperson from Sefton Council also clarified their position:- "Our Gritters are deployed when the roads when road surface temperature drops below 0°C within the Sefton area. Our gritting team have been deployed on a number of occasions over the weekend, including 3 times on Sunday. They have spread over 150 tonnes of grit already. We have also been out again today, and we are monitoring the situation. In total we have around 470km of roads across Sefton to grit. This is split into 8 routes, covering all arterial routes, bus routes, and roads into Hospitals as well as some footpaths."
 

Sefton Council also issued the following statement:- "Due to the current weather conditions, some bin collections across Sefton may be delayed. Please put your bins out as normal and leave them out if they are not collected. Our crews will return and empty them as soon as it is safe and possible to do so. Thank you for your patience."
 

Not all social media interactions were negative; some residents asked constructive questions and proposed potential solutions. A resident in the Southport area questioned why grit bins had not been installed, stating:- "side roads haven't been gritted, and the ice makes driving dangerous. If gritting bins had been installed, motorists could have done their own roads."
 

While this suggestion seems sensible in theory, it highlights a common lack of understanding regarding modern gritting logistics and the reasons why such bins have become a rarity since the Covid-19 pandemic. Grit bins were once a common sight, particularly on remote rural roads, near car parks, or at exposed major junctions. However, many were removed after suffering from persistent vandalism or inappropriate use, which often rendered them more of a hazard than a help.
 

Furthermore, the costs associated with installing, maintaining, and regularly refilling these bins with grit became uneconomical for many local authorities. Increased traffic volumes also posed a safety risk to motorists who might stop to use the bins, as they could be struck by other drivers failing to account for the icy conditions. Consequently, while the idea remains popular on paper, it is often impractical in reality.
 

This online reaction to winter weather serves to highlight the growing frustrations within the UK population. There appears to be a burgeoning:- "blame culture" where the collective stresses of modern life are directed toward public services. This is further complicated by a misconception that funding alone can resolve every challenge, including the unpredictable nature of the British weather. These outbursts act as a warning sign of the mounting pressure within society and underscore the need for greater patience toward the UK's workforce and essential services.