Double parking hit ice-clearing teams during last winter

Thieves also left gritting services 'struggling to cope'

- Kerry Ashdown

GRITTING teams working to keep Stoke-on-Trent's streets clear of snow and ice during last winter's severe weather were hindered by double parking.

Thieves raiding grit bins were also an issue, a community leader revealed, as she urged people to report any incidents they saw.

Stoke-on-Trent may have recently been basking in scorching temperatures, but city councillors were looking ahead to how improvements can be made to gritting operations in the winter.

The Housing, Regeneration and Operations Overview and Scrutiny Committee were also given a briefing on how the teams fared at the end of 2024 and beginning of this year.

Council deputy leader Amjid Wazir told members: "Last winter was a very severe winter. We were prepared for it, but the winter was so severe it was difficult to cope.