'The removal of grit bins from streets across Dudley was both short-sighted and reckless' - Sonia Kumar MP urges Dudley Council to reconsider plans to remove 500 grit bins
Sonia Kumar MP has written urgently to the Leader of Dudley Council, Councillor Patrick Harley, following a surge of complaints from residents about dangerously icy and ungritted roads across the borough during recent freezing weather.
Residents have contacted the MP’s office reporting hazardous conditions on streets including Crockett Street, Watson’s Green Road, Hamilton Close, Brownswall Road, Corporation Street and New Rowley Road, among many others around Dudley.
Drivers and pedestrians have described roads and pavements as treacherous, with reports of accidents and injuries that could have been avoided with proper winter maintenance.
In her letter, Sonia Kumar MP warned that the lack of gritting poses a serious risk to public safety — particularly for older and vulnerable residents, as well as emergency services and essential workers who must continue travelling despite icy conditions.
She has urged the Conservative-led council, which made the decision to remove grit bins, to urgently review its winter service plan and set out what immediate steps are being taken to improve gritting coverage.
Sonia Kumar MP said: “Residents rightly expect their council to be prepared for freezing weather. The situation we have seen across Dudley is unacceptable and has put people at real risk. I want to be absolutely clear that the decision to remove grit bins was taken by the Conservative-led council, not by me, and I am now pressing them to act quickly to put safety first.”
The issue comes amid growing concern over the removal of grit bins from neighbourhood streets — a decision taken under Conservative council leadership before Sonia Kumar MP’s intervention. In response, the Dudley Labour Group has confirmed that it has formally submitted a motion to the council calling for the reinstatement of grit bins across the borough, although a decision on whether the motion will be accepted is not expected for one to two days.
A spokesperson for the Dudley Labour Group said: “The removal of grit bins from streets across Dudley was both short-sighted and reckless. Communities have stepped up for decades to help keep roads passable so children can get to school and carers can reach older residents who may not live on a main gritting route.
"That’s why, earlier this year, Labour proposed an alternative Council budget to protect Dudley’s highways funding and keep grit bins where they belong — in our neighbourhoods; sadly this was rejected by Dudley’s Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups.
"Labour are committed to keeping communities safe and we’ll continue to campaign for grit bins to be reinstated as soon as possible.”
Sonia Kumar MP has requested a written response from Dudley Council clarifying what immediate measures are being taken to address current conditions and how residents can be reassured that public safety will be prioritised during future periods of severe weather.
