I AM at present in correspondence with the Highways Department of Wiltshire County Council regarding its policy, or rather lack it, for treating roads during the winter.

The policy appears to be that, although it is prepared to grit main roads, the residents will have to grit the rest of the roads themselves.

In order to provide an excuse for this inaction, the council has covered Wiltshire with hideous large yellow plastic grit bins, even, heaven help us on the approach road to Lacock (The Highways Department is, amazingly, under the Director of Environmental Services.)

The hapless residents, of whom I have been one for the past eight years are expected to take the contents of the bins and spread them over the road during freezing weather. Age, infirmity, or the lack of a shovel are no excuse.

I guess however, that we are permitted to delegate one of our colleagues to monitor the weather forecast, so we can be alerted before heading out into the cold each evening.

Does anybody really use these bins for the purpose intended?

This lack of policy has not changed in the eight years I have been here. No, I tell a lie, the bins are now to be green.

I never cease to be amazed that the good citizens of Wiltshire put up with this Third World level of service, without protest.

The council should be gritting hills and the approach roads to residential areas at the very least.

I would have thought the safety and well-being of its major source of income, the council tax payers, would have first call on their own money.

S BEBBINGTON

Erleigh Drive Chippenham