Residents blame lack of road maintenance for floods across Warrington

Padgate resident Neil Isherwood has raised concerns about how frequently the gullies around Warrington are cleared.

Following the heavy rain, Mr Isherwood has said that a lack of maintenance of these gullies could be a big part of the issue water is not draining properly and is leaving areas waterlogged.

“As a keen walker I am fed up with being drowned by cars splashing gutter water when it has rained,” he said.

A blocked gully in Warrington (Image: Supplied)
As well as Lymm and Orford seeing a lot of disturbance from the heavy rainfall that came from storm Henk last week, Ackers Road in Stockton Heath was also closed due to flooding.

With maintenance services having to work through the night to pump the water and clear the surface.

“The main reason is Warrington Borough Council do not empty the gullies,” Mr Isherwood said. “Resulting in puddles but moreover it overtime creates potholes.

“This short-sighted attitude of WBC is costing us,” he added.

A blocked gully in Warrington (Image: Newsquest)
A spokesperson for Warrington Borough Council have said some of the flooding issues experienced last week have risen from areas with ‘large numbers of trees’ – referring specifically to Orford Park.

“The roots from these trees can cause slow running drains, rather than a total blockage caused by debris, which can be an issue during periods of heavy rainfall,” they said.

“We continue to maintain these gullies and identify and clear blockages due to tree roots to ensure they are clear and run as well as possible.”

Mr Isherwood also raised the question of how regularly the gullies are cleaned now as apposed to a decade ago – suggesting their may have been a decline in the service.

“Just look down any gullies and they have soil in above the water line,” he stated.

The council state the gullies are cleaned regularly (Image: Supplied)
The council confirmed these are routinely cleaned and this has not differed from 10 years ago.

“We undertake routine cleansing of highway gullies, the frequency of which depends on type of road and location,” they said.

“When specific issues are reported to us, we investigate and take appropriate action. If the blocked drain or gully is causing flooding which is obstructing a road, you can report this on our website or call us on 01925 443322, so that we can deal with this as soon as possible.”