To Email the Highways Department at the Local Council for the state of a car park?

[CheekyLittleStocking]

I went into town this morning for some bits for the tea. The car park was a death trap. The Ice was so slippy you couldnt stand up on it. Cars were getting stuck trying to get out of their car parking spaces, cars unable to stop which resulted in them banging up onto the curb where pedestrians were walking. I slipped but managed to steady myself which resulted in me pulling a muscle. :(

The other car parks at the other end of town have being cleared i.e Tescos, Morrisons. I asked in Farmfoods if the car parks were manned by the Council and they said yes, that is why they haven't salted it themselves.

I cant understand why the council havent salted it or at least tried to attempt to clear the ice. Its dangerous.

I have just emailed the highways department who state on their website:

''The council looks after the surface water drainage to avoid flooding problems and repair potholes that appear. We monitor the condition of the lining to ensure that the location of parking bays and safety markings are clear to read''

This clearly isnt the case in this car park

So was IBU for emailing them and telling them that it needed sorting?

I asked in farmfoods whos responsibility it was and they said it was the councils!

I would have thought it was the council because it on the site of the Council run Leisure Centre. But i emailed them anyway so il wait to see if i was right to complain!

TBH the staff at farmfoods never seem to know their arse from their elbow. Her badge said supervisor so hmmm could have being mistaken. But il see what reply i get - if i get one.

You are making the mistake of thinking generically of one council. Highways are part of your county council. It may well be that some car parks are run by the local council - ie your district council. You need to check which council before you complain.

The problem that you have is which part of the council is responsible? If the land belongs to, say "Education" then they are responsible for clearing it, not "Highways". Each dept has a budget, which cannot be spent on stuff that is the responsibility of another dept.

Just had this argument at work btw - I work in a Council Dept and we have cleared and gritted our bits where we own the land and are responsible for, but then someone complained that our workmen had not cleared the pavement outside the shops (owned by someone else) sorry we can't, it's not our land so not our responsibility.

I think TBH councils have been prioritising their service given the unusually large dump of snow we've had. maybe they are using what snow clearing equipment they have to keep the roads clear? I would try your town or parish council (if applicable) in the first instance.

YANBU
Your email should be re-directed to the relevant person in the Council anyway.

ModreB - sounds like your council needs to apply a bit of 'joined-up thinking'. Where I work, you would be expected to contact the other department and sort out some mutually beneficial arrangement.

On the website it states along the lines of

'our carparks are checked and cleared regular and our aim is to make sure ALL markings are cleared. - this is not the case in this car park.
Also it said if you have a complaint about a car park to contact (then an email so i copied that email)