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Joyce challenges Minister to live up to his words and change snow clearing policy manual January 29, 2007 Eddie Joyce, Opposition Transportation and Works Critic and MHA for the District of Bay of Islands, is challenging Transportation and Works Minister John Hickey to change the winter maintenance policy manual to reflect his statements last week when referring to snow clearing as "when in doubt send it out". Joyce has obtained a copy of the policy manual which clearly states that equipment is to be removed from the province's highways at 9:30pm. "I read Minister Hickey's comments last week with great interest," said Mr. Joyce. "The minister is claiming that winter maintenance staff have discretion when clearing the province's highways if they feel more work is needed. This is in direct contrast with a copy of the department's policy manual which states that snow clearing equipment is to be removed from the highways at 9:30pm. I have spoken to several snow clearing foremen and operators over the weekend who confirmed that they are pressured to get of the roads at 9:30pm as dictated in the policy manual. "I challenge Minister Hickey or Minister Rideout, who also seems interested in defending this policy, to state publicly that the policy manual is incorrect. If the new policy is "when in doubt send it out", the workers who clear the province's highways certainly have not been given any indication of this policy change. It is obvious that both ministers are misleading the public regarding the safety of the province's highways. "I was also shocked to hear Minster Hickey state that numbers did not warrant a 24 hour snow clearing operation. From the calls that I have received from the residents of Lark Harbour, York Harbour, Humber Arm South, and the North Shore of the Bay of Islands, these individuals totally disagree. It is unfortunate that the minister puts such little importance on the safety of the motoring public in the province. "Another storm is approaching today and I am once again fearful that government will not take the proper precautions to ensure safe highways in the province. I continue to speak to motorists who fear that this policy of removing equipment from the highway will result in a serious accident. I hope we do not have a repeat of last week when roads were not cleared overnight and problems were encountered during the morning commute."
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