Road Grit Reported Stolen from Stoughton Bins

Published on: 21 Jan, 2013
Updated on: 21 Jan, 2013

The grit bin on the bend by the north end of Grange Road

Three local councillors have written to the The Guildford Dragon NEWS to complain about the apparent theft of grit from a grit bin in Grange Road, Stoughton.

The grit bin by the junction of Grange Road and Little Street scraped clean

Following their letter a report was received that another Grange Road bin, by the junction with Little Street, had also been emptied as our investigation was able to confirm.

One nearby resident said that she had spotted several vehicles parking near one of the bins and shovelling grit into plastic bags which they took away. She speculated that they might be using it to lay on private driveways they were charging householders to clear.

As can be seen from the photographs one bin had been scraped clean and the other left with just and inch or two of grit.

The matter has been reported to local police.

The letter from the councillors…

We are writing to voice our disappointment and anger at the person or people in the white van who saw fit to take all of the grit from the grit bin located at the sharp bend in Grange Road near the junction with Escombe Drive on Saturday morning the 19th of January. The event was witnessed by a resident who reported it to us and we have reported it to the Police.

The bin was placed in that spot to enable the buses, cars and pedestrians to get safely up and down that part of Grange Road in icy weather such as we are having at the moment. The grit is to be used on the public highway and footpaths to help vehicles and pedestrians traverse the pavements and public roads safely. It is not for stealing and it is not for our own personal use.

This theft, which it is, has now left the bin empty putting our residents at greater risk of slipping and falling, vehicles of sliding and skidding as well as helping the buses to fall behind schedule when they can’t get over the humps and up the incline in that part of Grange Road. Cllr Pauline Searle arranged the purchase of this grit bin, from her Surrey County Council Members Allocation, after vehicles were unable to use Grange Road in the winter of 2010. The person or people responsible for this act are endangering the public whilst only thinking of themselves and they should be ashamed of their actions. However, if they had any concern for others they wouldn’t have stolen the grit in the first place.

It is now unlikely that this bin will be refilled in the near future at a time when it is needed the most. The selfish behaviour of one or two people has now helped to make the lives of our residents, pedestrians and all road users in Grange Road more difficult and dangerous during this weather which shows no sign of abating over the next week or so. We would also like to take this opportunity to ask everyone in the Borough with a grit bin to be on the lookout for similar selfish behaviour and if you see anything suspicious please report it to the Police and your local Councillors.

Cllrs Wendy May, Pauline Searle & Gillian Harwood

Guildford Borough Councillors

Stoughton Ward

The grit bin by the junction of Little Street

Responses to Road Grit Reported Stolen from Stoughton Bins

Fiona White Reply

January 24, 2013 at 12:28 pm

I would like to support the plea from the three Stoughton councillors about the use of grit from grit bins. As councillors, we have to make a very strong case for siting a bin at a particular place. The alternative is to use part of our county councillor allocations. The bins are only filled once a year. Anyone who takes the grit to use it anywhere except on highway land is depriving their neighbours of a chance to make the roads and footways safe.

If you see someone taking the grit for personal use rather than making the roads and footpaths safe, please report it as they are stealing from our communities.