Drivers frustrated with the shape of New Brunswick roads got a chance to voice their frustrations directly to the province's transportation minister.
Minister Bill Fraser worked the front desk reception line on Tuesday, where he got an earful about roadways that are rutted or covered with hard-packed winter weather.
“We understand the frustration of the public,” Fraser said. “That's why I'm taking the calls here today at the department, so I can hear directly from New Brunswickers, so I can set the record straight.”
Fraser is adamant that there has been no reduction in the amount of salt being put on the road, and is defending a new standard for distribution.
“Our operators have full responsibility to apply as much salt and sand as they need or see fit to make the roads safe,” Fraser said. “We've had some extreme weather conditions that our team of snow fighters and team at DTI have been dealing with over the last week or so.”
CUPE New Brunswick is pushing for an overhaul of the department, particularly on one directive implemented from the former Tory government under David Alward
“The plows cannot hit the roads between 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. in the morning, and that's due to the fact that they've cut so much they don't have transition teams,” says Simon Outlette of CUPE New Brunswick. “So what happens, you got operators doing 14-hour shifts. They need to take their break because that is how WorkSafe works.”
CUPE highway workers will be joined by school bus drivers and paramedics at a news conference Wednesday.
Minister Bill Fraser said he'll be there too.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Nick Moore.
