Ducking responsibility for Wilmslow lake

As many shoppers will know there has been an ongoing problem with flooding in the Sainsbury's car park in Wilmslow, making it difficult to navigate every time it rains heavily.

The car park is operated by Cheshire East Council who I have contacted on several occasions in the past few months about the problem, to ask what is being done to resolve the issue.

In December 2017, a spokesperson from Sainsbury's told wilmslow.co.uk "We're aware of this issue and working with the council to resolve it as quickly as possible."

Having contacted Cheshire East Council again this week I was informed that United Utilities will be investigating the problem next week and that Cheshire East Council's Highways and Flood Risk teams will also be party to any works.

Councillor Rod Menlove said "I have been told that water drains from the car park via a six inch pipe that runs along the side of Sainsbury's to Alderley Road near the Coach & Four, where there are three United Utilities traps.

"United Utilities have disputed that the six inch pipe is theirs. Apparently the traps are the source of the blockage with the added problem of flow-back in to the car park."

However, having contacted United Utilities on Tuesday, 11th April, they came back to me in a few hours.

Helen Apps, External Affairs Manager at United Utilities, said "We have been out to investigate this issue and discovered it is caused by blocked highway gullies which are the responsibility of the council. We have passed this information back to the council."

On a separate issue, resurfacing of the car park will commence on Monday, 16th April.

Councillor Rod Menlow also confirmed "The cycle shelter is beyond repair and will be replaced by a new one but I have not as yet been given any timings."

Updated: Friday, 13th April, at 1pm.

A Cheshire East Council spokesman said: “We are aware of this long-standing issue and we are eager to find a lasting solution to what is a historical drainage problem.

Cheshire East Council Highways will be working with United Utilities to investigate the cause of the flooding problem, which could be attributed to the initial drainage installation. We hope that wherever responsibility rests, this matter will be resolved in the very near future.

Tags:
Car Park, Cheshire East Council, Sainsbury's , United Utilities
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

John Garrard
Thursday 12th April 2018 at 12:29 pm
Can someone please ask Sainsbury’s to create a shelter for the trolleys as well - currently they get soaked in the rain. Surely this will prolong thier lifespan and improve customer experience.
Pete Taylor
Thursday 12th April 2018 at 1:06 pm
What about the giant potholes; someone could break a leg in the one shown in the photo.
Will CEC admit that the holes are their responsibility or try to wriggle out of that too?
Rod Menlove
Thursday 12th April 2018 at 1:29 pm
As it says above, resurfacing of the car park will commence Monday 16 April
Fiona Doorbar
Thursday 12th April 2018 at 3:17 pm
Why replace a bike shelter that doesn’t get used....ever!? It is used by staff as a smoking shelter every time I pass (and that is frequently as I work on Alderley Road)
Ruth McNulty
Thursday 12th April 2018 at 6:00 pm
There is a bicycle in the photograph - despite the discouragement of the flooding.
The wider experience of the provision of cycle sheds is that they do attract bicyclists to secure their machines. Perhaps the increasingly derelict state of this particular site has discouraged cyclists. I can only speculate.
I am obviously unaware of Mr Garrard's knowledge of local shopping destinations, but Sainsbury installed trolley shelters throughout the car park some years ago. I do appreciate however that some outside the front of the store are open to the elements. Should shoppers prefer to use a dry trolley in the rain, they have the option to select one from a sheltered location.
Pete Taylor
Thursday 12th April 2018 at 6:38 pm
Cllr Menlove, I spoke to a member of Sainsbury's staff last week about the pothole and was told that it had been reported about ten days earlier. In the meantime the public have been put at risk, particularly after dark and when the hole is full of water. CEC have a duty of care to respond far quicker than they have.

Regarding this recurring flood; you will no doubt recall your previous public responses to the issue; which has not at any time since been fixed. https://bit.ly/2CsNntA

We now have a new major flood in town, outside the Rex every time it rains, across the whole of the "straight ahead" south-bound lane.

The flood approaching the Fulshaw Cross roundabout from Wilmslow is near to it's fifth birthday, with no sign of the gullies being cleared.

The final comment in the link above from "Highways" (Ringway Jacobs) tells us all we need to know about saving one million pounds per year by outsourcing.
Roger Bagguley
Thursday 12th April 2018 at 8:15 pm
Whichever way you plan to provide dry trolleys on a wet day you get wet. Sainsbury's needs to provide paper towels at the door. SIMPLE.

On the loss of the lakes: Will this affect Sainsbury's ability to provide fresh fish daily?

On the potholes: A golden opportunity for Incredible Edible.

As a boy scout I was brought up to, "A scout smiles and whisles under all difficulties." We all need more of this living in Cheshire East.
Jon Newell
Friday 13th April 2018 at 2:42 pm
Unless it stops raining, they won't be doing any resurfacing on 16 April. You can not tarmac under water.

The pot hole in the middle of the lake is very dangerous. You can not see it through the dank water and it is big enough to cause serous damage to vehicles.
Rod Menlove
Friday 13th April 2018 at 5:11 pm
United Utilities and Cheshire East Council/Ringway Jacobs (and before that Cheshire County Council/Bam Nuttal) have been mutually unhelpful in not agreeing on whose particular section of drains is the cause of the blockage. The plans of drains are not conclusive. On Sunday CEC will open the UU manhole covers to determine the exact path of UU drains and any blockages in the problem area near the Coach & Four.
In the meantime I requested a drainage tanker and that was scheduled to be in the car park late afternoon. After draining the car park (and presuming enough spare capacity) the tanker would then attend to the standing water near Barclays Bank and at the approach to the Fulshaw Cross roundabout.
The damaged gully near the cycle shelter is a safety hazard and earlier today had several cones around it (and a barrier to prevent cars using that section of the car park). This afternoon there was a full barrier around the cones.
This is short term action but to resolve all these problems I have again requested clearance of all gullies and intermediate blockages for the full length of Alderley Road down to the Whitehall Brook roundabout.
Work on the car park surface scheduled to start Monday is weather dependant as indeed is the white lining work I have also requested that is scheduled for tomorrow.
Dave Cash
Friday 13th April 2018 at 10:27 pm
Cllr Menlove,
How much has it cost CEC for vehicle damage and pedestrian injury in this car park since the problem first became evident?
Pete Taylor
Sunday 15th April 2018 at 3:47 pm
CEC contractors were clearing all the gullies along Alderley Road between Fulshaw Cross and the bypass roundabout this morning.
Amazing what a bit of cage-rattling can do- but it shouldn’t be necessary.
Rod Menlove
Sunday 15th April 2018 at 5:19 pm
This morning I spoke to the crew who were emptying the (Cheshire East and United Utilities) gullies just off Alderley Road by the Coach & Four. They were fairly heavy with silt that was compatible with what is expected from a car park. I was told that the interconnections between the CEC and UU systems are not clear on the UU map so they were clarifying connections and flows. This information will then go to CEC Flood Risk for further discussions with UU on who is responsible for each section of pipework. Hopefully, this time this long standing problem will be resolved and I will keep in contact.
All gullies in Alderley Road from outside Costa Coffee to the Fulshaw Cross roundabout were cleared.
On Friday the tanker took three loads of water from the car park.
Pete Taylor
Monday 16th April 2018 at 7:50 pm
Are “the interconnections” clear on the CEC “map”? What is “CEC flood risk”?
We await, with some anticipation, the next heavy rainfall.
The issue-ducking continues.
Barry Stafford
Wednesday 18th April 2018 at 4:43 pm
Why can these highly paid CEC managers,not do a good job,especially ,get off their backsides and see problems. I have complained for 4/5 years about the lack of gulley ,grid cleaning in the town.Chapel Lane grids are blocked regularly. In March I sent photos of these grids and pools of water unable to drain away. Pedestrians slashed and tarmac damaged by water in the cold weather. Not a whisper,no action from Highways. Gary Barton local Councillor is as useful as a chocolate teapot. I no where I vote in May. Baz
Amanda Williams
Thursday 19th April 2018 at 6:41 am
My husband and I cycle to Sainsbury’s all the time sometimes it’s hard to find space to park our bikes so I can assure you it’s used. The cycle shelter is in a disgusting state just like the car park. A number of times I have also complained to Sainsbury’s about staff smoking in the shelter but they still do it. As for Barry’s Comment above ‘Gary Barton’ who? I am thinking he doesn’t exist anymore....