As one victim claims more should be done to keep paths clear, hospitals report an increase to of cold weather accident claims in which people have slipped and tripped on ice and snow.
Despite the rising number of injury claims, Oxfordshire County Council has gone on record stating that due to logistical limitations it is would be unreasonable to expect that it should treat every footpath and road.
52 year old Paul Marlow disagrees. He suffered a personal injury claim on Christmas Day when he slipped on Oxpens Road, Oxford, after he slipped on a week’s accumulation of compacted ice and snow on the pavement.
Mr Marlow went to hospital the day after. He claims that while there he counted nearly 20 people with similar injuries related to icy road conditions. Mr Marlow’s arm was broken in two places and he will need to undergo a surgical procedure to correct the issue.
Mr Marlow expressed his frustration with the situation by stating that he had twice asked the council to take action regarding the pavement. He knew someone would end up becoming injured, but he never thought it would be him.
Taking issue with the council’s defence, Mr Marlow added that snow and ice is an inevitability every year and should budget for the eventuality. The council and the health service would end up paying less in the long run if they devoted the proper funds to fixing any potential problems before they occurred, he further said.
The county council has responsibility for gritting the roads. It stated that 1,200 miles of the county’s priorities roadway network are gritted as and when the conditions required it. However council spokesman Marcus Mabberley stated that there was no priority for the council to grit pavements in addition to roadways.