Harriett Baldwin has today suggested to Worcestershire County Council that responsibility for gritting smaller country lanes be given to parishes. With gritting rationed to A and B roads during the height of the big freeze, many communities were slithering about for days on end. A scheme whereby parishes could order yellow grit bins and identify local people to help as gritters could help to solve this problem. Cllr Adrian Hardman said, “Some parishes already operate in this way. 458 orders for grit bins have already come in to the County Council from villages.” Harriett Baldwin said, “My parish in the Shelsleys suffered from weeks of icy lanes, with only one trip through by a gritter that actually slid off the road on the icy hill into the village. I am sure that if the County Council could ask parishes if they’d like grit bins, bulk order them and keep them filled with grit that Worcestershire would be better prepared for a cold snap in the future. I have written to the Leader of Worcestershire County Council with this suggestion.”