WHY weren't the pavements gritted? That's the question being asked by Selby politicians, after local residents were left to deal with treacherous underfoot conditions over the festive period.

Selby MP John Grogan and town mayor John Chambers today fired an icy blast at council officials who left the town's footpaths covered in ice for several days between Christmas and New Year.

North Yorkshire County Council policy means pavements are only gritted if the temperature is below zero for 72 consecutive hours.

That meant Selby's pavements were left untouched last week, because the temperature briefly rose above zero on Thursday, December 29.

Mr Grogan said: "Naturally county council staff have to concentrate on clearing and gritting main roads first, but I was amazed to learn that once they have done this work, highways staff have no discretion to start clearing pavements, particularly in the town centres and in areas of pensioner housing.

"At the very least the Selby depot should be able to decide to clear pavements in the centres of Selby, Tadcaster and Sherburn, and in addition in areas with a high elderly population."

Mr Chambers said: "We should have had extra staff in to make sure the roads were cleared for bus routes etc, and got temporary staff in to make sure the pavements were gritted.

"I am quite sure there are people looking for part-time work, or who would have gone out on a voluntary basis to make sure this was done.

"I had some people who live near me coming to make me aware that there was an elderly gentleman who had slipped on the ice and cut his wrist.

"My son helped another gentleman up outside a shop in D'Arcy Road," he said.

But North Yorkshire County Council spokesman Tony Webster said: "We are acting under his Mr Grogan's Government's instructions.

"We are doing what we are told.

"In fact, we are doing more than what we are told in relation to snow clearance," said Mr Webster..

"If Mr Grogan wants to raise the matter directly with Mike Moore, the corporate director of environmental services, I am sure his comments will be taken on board, in line with other comments that we get."

John Darley, director of patient services for Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (Tenyas), said: "Anything that can help reduce the number of unnecessary 999 calls to the Tenyas control room would be welcomed.

"The gritting of pavements would reduce the number of falls that emergency crews may have to attend, thereby protecting the capacity to respond to other emergency calls."

Updated: 09:43 Thursday, January 05, 2006