'Disgraceful' Cornshell Fields access road 'lethal' in icy conditions

Driving conditions on the access road into and out of Cornshell Fields in the Shantallow area of Derry were described as "treacherous" this morning.

The road has not been gritted and according to one resident, the area has subsequently been left in a "very dangerous state for any one trying to drive into or out of the estate".

Speaking to Derry Now, another resident in the area said: "It is an absolute disgrace. There are people there who have been stranded from 7 o'clock this morning, people trying to get to and from their work, carers who are looking after  sick and vulnerable clients.

"I had to come back down the hill and go to my own house and get a bag of salt, which I bought myself from Homebase, and myself and one of the men up there had to salt a road which is a main bus route, as best we could to try and get people out. 

"Luckily we had salted outside our houses every day this week ourselves, with our own salt because none has been provided.

"It is an absolute shocking disgrace. There are cars stuck here and I am afraid to drive out in case I hit another vehicle on the way on down.

"There is no salt in any of the salt boxes. People rang the Fire and Rescue Service, the PSNI, the DOE and no-one seems to be able to do anything. There are cars stuck the whole way down. Two cars have already been hit. It is an absolute disgrace in this day and age. It is a shambles, a joke."

The resident appealed for local councillors to sort out the salting situation.