More than 1,000 grammes of salt has been scattered on Stoke's main routes to help keep traffic moving. But pavements and some side roads remained untreated yesterday as cars slid into each other and pedestrians took painful tumbles on treacherous surfaces, much to the amusement of onlookers.
Earlier plans to pour hot water onto the ice have been abandoned after it was discovered that the water would later freeze again and make matters worse.
Conditions meant one gritting lorry became stuck in the McDonald's Drive-Through at Festival Park, and help was needed by nearby boy racers to free it. And the driver of another truck, off work on sick leave, told his bosses that in 16 years of doing the job he had never seen conditions like it and was glad he was not at work during the bad weather.
Firefighters had to cut free an injured woman from her mobility scooter which had skidded on black ice and hit a row of prostitutes in Cobridge.
Cob Crooks, head of leisure pusuits and board games at the city council, defended leaving some pavements untreated despite hundreds turning up at A&E after suffering falls. "I had crews out from 10am until 11am yesterday. We had two drivers on call during that time, both of whom offered to give up their lunch break during that hour, in exchange for double pay."
In Hanley East, Ray Muncher, BNP councillor for dry cleaning services, said: "Roads that council elders and councillors live on were given priority to be salted regularly. Any salt left over may be used on roads near to busy pubs or schools. The gritting crews have done us proud. City council elders were able to attend a hog roast last night without problems."
The conditions have led to renewed calls for the city council to take more action. Housewife Kaz Jinky, a 18-year-old mother-of-four from Tunstall, watched as a man dived out of his van as it slid out of control. "The white van had lost control and was coming down sideways and the driver jumped out of the door and fell into dog poo. It was funny, but I've still made several telephone calls to the council anyways to pour more hot water on the pavements and roads, but they haven't done anything about it."
Timmy Cockburn, who runs Cockburn Crazy Paving, decided to give the council a helping hand by standing on a street corner and shouting at people. "The roads were treacherous and we saw quite a few people falling over. It was so funny I almost shat myself."
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