Slip On Ice – No Duty To Grit Car Park

Willis v Halton Borough Council [2022] Liverpool County Court, HHJ Gregory – 6 December 2022

Summary

The defendant local authority was not liable to a claimant who slipped on ice after exiting his car in a public car park.

Facts

The claimant alleged that he slipped on ice on the footway of a car park adjacent to a school. He alleged that in failing to grit the car park and the footway the local authority was in breach of its duty under the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957 (“the Act”). Liability was denied. The defendant relied on its Winter Service Plan. Only priority carriageways were routinely gritted. Footways were not routinely gritted and neither were small, unmanned car parks such as the accident location.