CIVIC leaders in Budleigh Salterton have blasted county highways chiefs for not gritting major routes through the town.

Councillors have said that the main roads in Budleigh were not consistently treated and presented a real danger to drivers, while pavements on main roads made them dangerous for pedestrians.

Mayor Tom Wright, speaking during the snow chaos, said: “We are very disappointed with the county council’s response to the cold weather. None of the main roads in Budleigh seem to have been completely cleared.

“Greenway Lane, going into Moor Lane, is one of the main bus routes and it is covered with ice, and it has been for the last week.

“It’s like an ice rink and it’s dangerous, and the High Street is a disaster area.”

Cllr Courtney Richards added: “We just can’t understand why major routes in the town have not been gritted.

“Station Road is the main route through the town, while a thick layer of ice is still covering the pavements in the High Street and there is ice on the road and they are only passable with extreme caution.

“We are not asking them to grit every single road, but we feel as though they have ignored Budleigh.”

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: “Thousands of people will rely on travelling on the county’s roads to visit friends and family over the Christmas holidays and our gritting teams are committed to doing their utmost to keep roads as safe and clear as possible. However, with the best will in the world, we simply cannot attend to all the problems on the minor roads and estate network.

“This has been an extremely testing spell of cold weather, which has meant it has been a busy period for our highways staff and I thank them for their dedication in preparing to continue the long haul over the Christmas and New Year.

“We would remind everyone to take extreme care on roads and footways and we wish everyone a safe and peaceful Christmas.”