Icy pavements across Dorset are raising concerns after street falls led to hospital admissions, particularly among older residents.
Dorset Council has confirmed it does not have a proactive policy for making pavements safe in freezing conditions, instead focusing resources on roads, with pavement issues addressed only after concerns are raised locally, unlike its clearly defined approach to road gritting and route prioritisation during cold weather.
Concerns have been shared online about council workers clearing leaves from roads but blowing them onto pavements, which residents say increases the risk of slips and falls at a time when icy conditions are already creating hazards.
Local NHS data shows street falls are a significant cause of hospital treatment, with one hundred and forty seven admissions recorded over a twelve month period ending in September last year, accounting for just over eight per cent of all falls admissions, with more than half involving people aged seventy five and over.
A Dorset Council spokesperson said leaf fall had placed heavy demand on services.
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