LORELY BURT : URGENT REVIEW OF COLD WEATHER PLANNING REQUIRED
February 15, 2010 10:53 AM
Solihull MP Lorely Burt has signed a Parliamentary motion calling for an urgent review of cold weather contingency planning after the publication of a report from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) which criticised the Government's response to the recent snow.
The FSB found that the bad weather had a disproportionate impact on the 4.8 million small businesses in the UK, with many firms vulnerable to road closures and transport disruption. Even where people were able to get to work, widespread school closures also meant that parents were forced to stay at home and look after their children.
The West Midlands, and Solihull in particular was one of the areas of the England hit worst by the weather.
Lorely is supporting calls from the FSB for business groups to be included in urgent discussions between Ministers, local authorities, transport firms and salt mining companies on the best ways to reduce disruption in future.
Commenting, Lorely said:
'The extent of the disruption that the snow caused for businesses across the West Midlands was extraordinary, with dangerous roads meaning many staff were unable to get into work for a week or more.
'At a time when our local economy is struggling as a result of the downturn, a period of enforced closure was the last thing West Midland's firms needed. An urgent review of the Government's contingency plans is now required to ensure that in future, small businesses are able to continue to operate irrespective of the weather.'
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