ENNISKILLEN has been staging its own version of ‘Dancing On Ice’ as pedestrians and shoppers slipped across the icy footpaths through the town.
The only thing missing were the show’s judges Torvill and Dean giving marks out of ten as residents of all ages did a variety of routines while trying to stay on their feet.
It was far from a laughing matter, however, with angry Herald readers contacting the paper to vent their outrage at the dangerous footpaths from East Bridge Street to Darling Street and along the Queen Elizabeth Road.
One man, who described himself as ‘a seriously concerned ratepayer’ could not believe how they could be left in this condition.
“I dropped my wife off at the Diamond and it was like a shaking rink,” he said. “It’s the same on Townhall Street. People are walking on the road because it’s too slippery and dangerous to walk on the footpath.
“No one will be doing any shopping as they are going to break their neck. It can’t be good for business for the local shops.
“Someone is going to fall and hurt themselves badly.”
As it turned out, other readers told the Herald how they did fall in the icy conditions, but luckily no one was seriously injured.
A post on the Enniskillen Family, Friends and Neighbours Facebook page also highlighted the issue, with a thread headed: “Just wondering do the council grit the pavements up and around the town … they are like sheets of ice this morning and very treacherous.”
One person posted in reply: “I did slip and fall and hurt myself badly. Had to go for a scan, lucky enough no real damage.”
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said that the gritting of adopted roads and footpaths was the responsibility of the Department for Infrastructure Roads.
However, the Department of Infrastructure claimed that this only applies to them during extreme weather.
“The Department does not have responsibility for salting footways. However, where resources allow we will work with councils following heavy snowfall or prolonged freezing conditions to clear footways in busy town or city centres,” a DfI spokesperson said.
By yesterday (Tuesday) morning, the penny had dropped and footpaths throughout Enniskillen had been gritted.
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