Fire crew called to flooding at petrol station

Station Road under the bridge was badly flooded too - again.

We would not have as much flooding if the water could go down the grids, but with C/E not clearing them it's only to be expected.

And guess what? The usual boating lake at Sainsbury's.

Raymond Acton: I contacted Cheshire Highways about this in January 2016 after several floods in a short period of time over the late December 2015 / early January 2016 period. Apparently the drainage system in the carpark is NOT connected to a mains sewer. It is just a "soak away". The out come of this being that it cannot cope with the amount of water that collects in heavy storms or when the ground is already saturated due to periods of prolong wet weather. So I see that "austerity" measures where already being implemented by the predecessor to CEC.

Oh dear! I call that cost cutting or "Value Engineering" as it's known in the construction industry.

Hi Stuart
It's completely understandable that people would think the flooding is a CE problem. In fact the blockage is in the United Utilities system and over the years they have not found a permanent solution. However, according to the store manager UU had been working locally and the flooding at the weekend subsided after about 20 mins. Hopefully UU have now found the solution.

Whilst in such ebullient mood for explanation; Perhaps it’s completely understandable also, that our Lyme Green representative can proffer a further explanation why he went against the electorates position to protect our green belt, (local plan vote on 26/2/16)... After all a joint statement that says nothing is so demeaning..

Whilst the flooding in the car park at Sainsbury's may not be a problem attributable to the private company which CEC hived of the Highways Department to (in order to save money, so we were told), the continued floodings around the town over the last couple of years are a direct result of the gullies not being cleared.

How very apposite that within minutes of Cllr Menlove attempting to pass the buck from the CEC Highways to UU that we should have a down-pour and further floodings reported here and elsewhere. http://bit.ly/1tyw2Xm
I have seen floods under the station bridge, under the railway on the by-pass, on Alderley Road (two locations) Knutsford Road (two locations), Water((!) Lane and down by the Bollin near st Bart's.

Any comment Cllr Menlove?

As most of us carry a camera in our phone these days might it be an idea that every time we see a blocked grid/gully or come across a flooded road that we take a photo and send it:

Hi Rod

Here is a copy of the email I received on 18th February 2016

Hello Stuart

Further to my telephone conversation I have to advise you that the majority of the drains on South Drive Car Park are run to soakaway pits and not into the main surface water drainage system. With the exceptional rain this Winter at times the soakaways have not been able to cope and on 3 occasions we have had to pump out by tanker the excess water.
We are at present having surveys done to identify if we can link the Drainage System on the car park to a surface water drain off site to allow the entire car park to be drained.

Regards
David Thurlwell
Property Operations Adviser
Facilities Management
Cheshire East Council
Tel 01270 686113
Mob 07766367541



No reference to UU. So exactly what is the problem and who from CEC is liaising with UU?

Stuart Redgard
Thanks for that and I will follow up .
Pete Taylor
Thanks for copying me in the email to Lisa. Torrential downpours are creating localised flooding and I am contacting Highways with all the information received so that the emergency areas are attended to asap. Send me as much detail as you have and I will add it to the list.
Following requests the gully team is scheduled to be in Wilmslow over the coming weeks to clear all gullies. This will locate blockages between gullies and also blocked culverts that flow under private land. Clearing these involves digging unless the more powerful jetting vehicle is successful.So for example the gullies in Macclesfield Road were cleared a month ago but the problem is a blocked culvert so digging starts shortly.
CE will have to sort this and nobody is interested in passing the buck. If you want to trace the history of the problem you go back to the CCC decision to move to reactive maintenance from planned maintenance. Their external contractor for Highways acted accordingly. CE appointed a different contractor after a lengthy OJEU process and yes it is a far more cost efficient service.
As far as I am aware you are a resident in Wilmslow East. I would be delighted to have a face to face conversation on this and any other CE matter that that is causing you concern. I await your contact.

I have received a response from "Highways" (presumably the Private Company that our good Councillor out-sourced the work to) regarding the flooding at Fulshaw Cross/King's Arms roundabout (it was flooded again yesterday and today!):

Enquiry Reference Number: 2533881
Thank you for your enquiry. This year's gully emptying programme has been based around data gathered, over the preceding three years, from the Authority's asset management system.
This targeted approach to gully emptying means that we no longer routinely empty all highway gullies on an annual basis. We will however attend on an ad-hoc basis where gullies are blocked and causing a danger to highway users or flooding to property, but not routinely simply because they are full.
From the details provided, this issue doesn't meet our criteria to enable works to be programmed at this time. Further information on our approach to highway gully care is available at http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/highways.

Splendid. Incidentally, the five-year contract awarded to this company has just been extended for a further two years!