Dozens of people living in the west end of Aberdeen and its leafy suburbs have ended up in hospital as the council carries out “minimal gritting” on icy city streets.
The NHS has revealed the Aberdeen postcodes with the highest number of patients attending at the emergency department over the past week.
While many busy areas of the city have been regularly gritted, the council is taking a “minimal” approach this winter amid soaring costs.
This means that some streets have been left unattended since the big freeze began at the turn of the year.
Amid rising complaints, Aberdeen City Council told restless residents that workers “can’t be everywhere at once”.
We reveal:
- The areas of Aberdeen, and the wider north-east, with the most people hospitalised
- How one ungritted city road became a makeshift “primary” route when a water main burst and drivers were diverted along it
- Which Aberdeenshire town has seen the most injuries
- And how Aberdeen City Council’s co-leader has been taken to task by his Torry constituents
Which postcodes in Aberdeen have had the most injuries during week of minimal gritting?
Earlier this week, we revealed scores of people had been taken to hospital as a result of slips, trips and falls.
On Tuesday alone, 56 casualties attended at Aberdeen’s already-stretched A&E department.
NHS Grampian has collated figures which show the postcodes of these patients, offering an insight into the areas where people are most often being injured.
People living in the AB15 area, which includes scores of streets in the west end and stretches out towards the Cults area, has the highest number.
As of 1pm yesterday, 28 people from the area of Aberdeen had been admitted to A&E.
Where else are people most frequently getting hurt?
Meanwhile, 23 people from the city’s AB24 postcode have ended up in A&E.
This includes Old Aberdeen, the beach area, Seaton and Woodside.
Kittybrewster also comes under AB24, where drivers were yesterday diverted onto the untreated Erskine Street after a pipe burst on nearby Bedford Road.
Torry residents warn of injuries risk from lack of Aberdeen gritting
In the Torry/Ferryhill area, tensions are growing as pavements remain frozen.
Official figures show 16 people from the AB11 postcode ended up with injuries, while concerns mount about a lack of gritting in the Aberdeen community.
Residents have taken to social media to warn that this number could have been much higher…
Am angry address was issued to Aberdeen City Council co-leader, and local member, Christian Allard on a local Facebook page.
The resident said pavements “have become solid sheets of ice”, leading to “numerous falls, injuries, and people being too afraid to leave their homes”.
“It is beyond time for the council to review its pavement gritting policy,” they added.
“The current situation is dangerous.”
The SNP group leader stressed that teams are working from 4am “every day” and reminded people to report any empty grit bins.
Which Aberdeenshire town has the most A&E injuries?
Earlier this week, images surfaced showing a wheelchair-bound Inverurie resident being pushed along the road through the town centre, as pavements had become impassable.
From the town’s AB51 postcode, a total of 14 people made the trip to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s emergency department.
And across the week, 32 people from the IV30 postcode in Elgin have attended at the town’s Dr Gray’s Hospital.
Have you struggled to get about in the cold weather this week? Let us know in our comments section below
What does Aberdeen City Council say about gritting plan?
The council has stressed that its “highest priority” pavements are on and around Union Street.
A spokeswoman added: “When it’s snowing or sleeting, we’re pretty much continually gritting these.”
However, she added that some “priority two” pavements and “secondary” roads have also been treated when possible.
And while the spokeswoman told The Press and Journal that “all available crews” were out yesterday and “would continue” their efforts, she sounded a note of caution.
“People should remember we can’t be everywhere at once around the city,” she added.
And residents are being reminded that there are 900 grit bins in the city, along with community salt bins, which can be used.
Read more:
ARI ambulances could be turned away AGAIN as ‘factors causing trigger point become more common’
Conversation