GRITTING lorries will be salting the roads to Smannell again in the future following a campaign by the area’s Lib/Dems.

The problem was first highlighted in the first cold spell in December 2008 when parish councillor Nigel Gooding contacted Hampshire County Council to ask where the gritters were after accidents on the Smannell road. It transpired that the new highways contract had removed this route from its high priority schedule, despite 90 per cent of the children attending Smannell school having to travel by car.

Cllr Gooding enlisted the help of county councillor Robin Hughes and used the Freedom of Information Act to secure the facts.

Now Hampshire County Council has reversed its decision, and will include the C99 through Smannell parish when they salt priority one routes. Mr Gooding said: “I am absolutely delighted that there has been an outbreak of common sense. “A big thank you must go to the Andover Advertiser and Andover Sound for highlighting this matter.”