Published on
A school has joined Bromley’s booming Snow Friends scheme, the borough’s voluntary snow clearance initiative targeted at keeping residential roads clear of snow and ice when winter weather bites.
Already, this year, over 150 resident groups with over 3000 volunteers have agreed to work in partnership with the council and clear snow from their street. Now, Langley Park Boys School has joined the scheme and pupils will be helping out if snow arrives this winter. The news follows a Snow Friends recruitment drive last winter which saw over 1000 snow shovels and bags of salt given to residents with further supplies being delivered for this winter. The initiative supplements the council's existing gritting and snow clearing operations which are the most extensive of any London Borough.
"As an ex Langley Park boy myself, I'm particularly pleased and extremely impressed by what Mr Northcott and his boys have agreed to take on. This is real, quality 'citizenship' behaviour of the highest order and I am hopeful that other schools might come to see how this could work for them too. If the borough is hit with an extensive bout of snow this winter, pupils will be helping clear snow from targeted areas such as day care centres. There obviously remains a limit to what can be done in extreme conditions, but by working together like this, and utilising the fantastic untapped energy and resource of our willing young adults, we can definitely make further strides forward for the benefit of all", said Councillor Colin Smith, Executive Councillor for Environment.
Rob Northcott, Headteacher of Langley Boys School, said, "We have been proud of the feedback we received when our boys helped stranded motorists in the wintry weather. Generally, our experience is that young people want to help and be usefully involved in wider society. Our challenge is to find opportunities where this can happen and when the school is closed, our pupils will be able to enjoy the weather experience and lend their support where it is needed. This scheme has real potential this winter and in future years."
Winter preparations started earlier this year as the council hosted two Snow Friends conferences over the summer. The conferences heard that the council is holding its largest reserve of salt for the winter, with 9000 tonnes available for its gritting fleet. The conference also heard about the challenges of clearing snow from roads and pavements in London 's largest borough, with 500 miles of road.
The council's nine dedicated gritting vehicles salt the main 260 miles of road out of the 500 miles of borough roads when road temperatures are predicted to be freezing. In periods of extreme wintry weather salting takes place a frequent basis. When snow falls, the snow needs to be removed from the road, often with a squeegee or snow plough, and then salt is applied. The council's snow clearance crews also work to clear snow from pavements across the borough, with attention focussed on areas such as town centres, outside schools and transport interchanges.
Resident Associations and other community groups are invited to join the council's Snow Friends initiative by going online www.bromley.gov.uk/snowfriends or calling 020 8313 4557.
ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact Andrew Rogers, Communications Advisor, on 020 8461 7670 or email andrew.rogers@bromley.gov.uk
