Airline passenger news and views

Just why was there so much chaos on our roads and at our airports?

We had ample warning of impending snow and we have had the experience of recent winters from which the authorities promised to learn.

Much has been said about the need for further investment in snow ploughs and snow blowers and the risk that these will only be needed occasionally. The same argument could, of course, be used against fire engines, escape shutes and even trained fire fighters.

The simple fact is that snow-moving equipment is readily available. It would be nice to think that we could purchase from a British manufacturer, but certainly companies such as Schmidt of Sweden manufacture and sell these internationally.  

Surely, all one then needs is a storage facility and a maintenance man who services them during the summer such that they are ready for the winter. I can see no reason why they should not last 20 years. If we do not get any snow, then they will last even longer.

None of this is especially difficult. Countries such as those in Scandinavia manage because they have plans and are prepared.  Their costs of preparedness are easily justified as annual snow is pretty much guaranteed.

Hitherto, we have dodged the issue by saying that snow does not come that often but, after three bad winters, we cannot keep on using that excuse.

Surely, we now have to realise that the cost of un-preparedness far outweighs the required investment cost.