PLANS to stop gritting could turn some of the borough’s steepest roads into a “death trap”, councillors have said.

In emails seen by the Advertiser, Swindon Borough Council officers have sought approval to stop gritting more than 120 smaller roads across the town.

They include Belle Vue Road, a well-used Old Town cut through for motorists between Victoria Road and Drove Road, and Broome Manor Lane.

The council say that all A and B roads will still be gritted but parish councillors have been asked for their views on the plans.

At a meeting of the new South Swindon Parish Council in Broadgreen, councillors registered their opposition to the proposals.

Jane Milner-Barry, parish councillor and Old Town borough councillor, said: “It will be a death trap, sliding down Belle Vue Road would be an absolute nightmare.”

Chris Watts, chair of the full council, said: “We’re not happy with the deletion of any of the gritting routes in the South Swindon parish. Obviously, they have budgetary restrictions they have to look at, but we want them to look at them again.

“For people coming round from Dixon Street into Deacon Street, if that’s not gritted it’s just going to be impassable.”

Eastcott councillor Stan Pajak called roads like William Street, Dixon Street and Radnor Street “major routes”.

He said that if a car was to slide down Belle Vue Road “it would end up in a sign that says ‘Welcome to Swindon’”.

Coun Michael Dickinson questioned why Broome Manor Lane had been removed from the gritting schedule.

“That’s quite a major access route into town,” he said.

The councillor added that if Eastcott’s roads were left ungritted, “you’ll just discover the ski slope comes earlier than you expected”.

Old Town councillor Nick Burns Howell said: “I think we should firmly object to any of those roads being taken off.”

Yesterday, clerks at the Central Swindon North and Haydon Wick parish councils confirmed that the plans had been shared with their councillors.

Coun Mary Martin, cabinet member for communities and place, said: “The proposed new gritting routes still cover all A roads and all but two B roads in the borough,” she said.

“It will also make the gritting run two hours shorter, improving our response times in a cold snap and making the service much more efficient.

“We are currently reviewing the responses to the consultation. Our gritting routes have not changed for some time and were largely based on historical bus routes.

“The recent review took into account all the changes to local bus routes and brings us in line with the Department for Transport code of good practice for well managed highways.

“We welcome the views of the parish council and we will be taking their feedback into consideration”