Praise for winter weather efforts as normal service resumes

 Efforts to ensure the delivery of essential services and to minimise disruption have seen care staff battling adverse conditions to visit frail, older or disabled people who rely on their support, Roads Services using 4×4 vehicles to deliver midwives, registrars and other workers to carry out essential duties and Edinburgh Bus Station staff pulling out the stops to make sure stranded customers were kept comfortable and warm.

Over the weekend, full day and night shifts of 22 gritting lorries and 11 mini-tractors were deployed to plough and salt priority routes, ensuring access to hospitals, care and residential homes, as well as treating many of the city’s more residential, lower priority routes where possible. Treating of bus routes has helped Lothian Buses reintroduce several services over the weekend, with a full service resuming on Monday.

More than 100 Waste and Cleansing and Parks staff joined in to clear pavements near doctors, chemists and key pedestrian areas in time for Monday morning, while Facilities Management pitched in to clear school grounds and additional teams worked to refill hundreds of grit bins across the city.

“Whether it’s braving the elements to get to work to carry out vital duties or working round the clock to make sure key road and pavement routes are clear of snow for public use, our staff have done the Council proud during this trying period, and I would like to thank them for their dedication.”

Deputy Leader, Councillor Cammy Day, said: “We wouldn’t have been able to keep the city moving during the recent severe weather without the support of partners and volunteers from across the city.

“Local groups, neighbours and business-owners have done a fantastic job clearing residential streets of snow and visiting vulnerable community members, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their work.”

Richard Hall, Managing Director of Lothian Buses, added: “Recent weather has posed a real challenge for people travelling around the city. By working closely with the City of Edinburgh Council and other neighbouring authorities we have been able to prioritise and clear vital bus routes – close coordination by our control room team along with the dedication of all our staff means that we’ve been able to recommence services for customers.”

While services are returning to normal, a yellow weather warning from the Met Office is still in place and members of the public are urged to take great care when travelling.

As of this morning, all schools, nurseries and early years centres will be open to the public, with the exception of Flora Stevenson Nursery, which will remain closed on Monday due to isolated flooding. South Morningside Nursery’s afternoon session at Fairmilehead Church will also be closed on Monday and will resume on Tuesday. Full details are available on the Council website.

Neighbourhood offices, Household Waste Recycling Centres, museums and galleries and libraries are also anticipated to reopen.

Kerbside waste collections have resumed on main routes though at present crews are unable to access side streets as it is unsafe for vehicles, but are endeavouring to service all properties as soon as possible. All those whose kerbside collections have been missed should leave their bins out until collected and continue to present bins on the scheduled days. On-street communal bins are being serviced where practical.