Macclesfield charity, The Rossendale Trust, is appealing to Cheshire East Highways to reconsider their controversial road gritting policy.

The charity, which supports adults with learning disabilities living in our local area, prides itself on offering opportunities to the people they support, encouraging them to live as independently as possible and be part of their local communities.

Black Road, where the Trust has a property housing 16 tenants, Blakelow Road, Brook Street, Gunco Lane and Windmill Street have all been removed from the winter gritting plan.

Cheshire East highways say this is following a period of consultation and after considering local risk factors such as "vulnerable users" but the Trust says they have failed to consider their tenants living on or near to these roads.

Many tenants have mobility issues and failing to grit the roads around these areas could seriously hamper their ability to get out and about and hamper their ability to do a daily shop, socialise and visit their local community. The Trust are concerned that if there is a period of extreme winter weather properties will become inaccessible and tenants will be unable to have visits from friends and family. If roads aren't gritted, it will prevent tenants from attending their daytime activities as it simply would not be safe for them to be transported on the roads.

Removal of gritting to these roads could also result in staffing issues as the area becomes impassable and unsafe for staff to travel to work. This could result in a reduced level of support for tenants isolating them even further.

Andrea Wright, Head of Supported Living at the Trust confirmed; "The decision to not grit the roads in this area is of great concern to us.

"Our mission is to meet the needs of the people in our care by supporting them to live a full and meaningful life.

"Our staff support tenants to access the local community, which is absolutely vital for their health and wellbeing. How can we fulfil our mission if the roads become impassable - our staff will be unable to get to their place of work and our tenants will become isolated."

You can donate to The Rossendale Trust here.

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