Ponding reveals blocked drains in Foxwood area

Bellhouse Way flooding

Bellhouse Way flooding

Bellwood Drive flooding

Bellwood Drive flooding

A combination of accumulated leaves and inadequate routine cleaning of drainage gullies has resulted in quite a lot of localised ponding today.

Flooding occurred on part of Bellhouse Way.

It also became clear that a blocked drain in the housing area off Bellwood Drive – which was reported over a month ago – had still not been cleared.

We have reported both issues.

Have your say on York’s Flood Risk Management Strategy

York floods Sept 2012 bar walls

Working with key partners including the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water, City of York Council has created a draft Local Flood Risk Management strategy which will go out to a six-week consultation from Wednesday 5 November until Wednesday 17 December at www.york.gov.uk/consultations

A consultation questionnaire is available to complete online from this week. Alternatively, paper copies are available from libraries and Explore Centres across York, or the council’s West Offices building. Feedback can also be submitted to FRM@york.gov.uk .

To read the full strategy, FAQs and an information leaflet visit: www.york.gov.uk/floodriskstrategy

The development of the strategy follows severe floods in 2007 across the UK, including York, which affected over 55,000 homes and businesses causing over £3billion worth of damage across the UK.

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Rain reveals more blocked drains

Yesterdays steady rain revealed more blocked drains

We’ve reported several but really think that it is time for the Council to reinstate 6 monthly routine cleans.

Failing that, they need to  actively clear those drains that have – like the one below in Bellwood Drive – been blocked for months.

If there is large scale ponding on footpaths, then the arrival of icy weather will multiply safety problems

Blocked drain in Bellwood Drive

Blocked drain in Bellwood Drive

Dozens of streets in York have collapsed drains

Extent of repair backlog in York revealedKWW junction Windsor Garth 1

At least 55 streets in York have gulleys which are permanently blocked. The blockages mean that heavy rain is likely to result in extensive ponding and in some cases flooding.

The Council has responded to a Freedom of information request and revealed the list of streets which will be “dug out” this year. (see below)

The Council claims only to have 6 outstanding complaints about long term blocked drains.

However it has received 459 complaints about blocked drains during the last 18 months taking an average of 5.5 days to have the gulleys emptied.

The Council has been criticised for stopping the routine cleaning of most gulleys in the City. Instead they now respond only to complaints.

Heavy rain last month resulted in considerable flooding on highways and footpaths cross the City. It seems that many of the problem areas may not have yet  been added to the Councils list of outstanding work.

The list of locations receiving significant engineering attention this year include:

  1. Ten Thorn Lane
  2. Back Lane
  3. Shipton Road (inside outer Ring Road)
  4. A1237
  5. School Lane
  6. Wetherby Road
  7. Field Lane
  8. Windsor Drive
  9. Hull Road
  10. York Road
  11. Bishopthorpe Road
  12. Wigginton Road
  13. Top Lane
  14. A1237 (Millfield roundabout)
  15. Wetherby Road
  16. Main Street
  17. Weldrake Lane
  18. Karelia and Ashdale Crossing
  19. Long Lane, Heslington
  20. Vicarage Lane
  21. Cow Moor Bridge
  22. The Village, Stockton on Forest
  23. The Village, Strensall
  24. Cleveland Way
  25. Bad Bargain Lane
  26. Moor Lane
  27. Lords Moor Lane
  28. Naburn Lane
  29. Elvington Lane
  30. Grantham Drive
  31. Welland Rise
  32. Beckfield Lane
  33. A1237, Rawcliffe
  34. Hurricane Way
  35. Sitwell Grove
  36. Huntington Road
  37. Front Street
  38. Bishopthorpe Road
  39. Haxby Road
  40. Gray Street
  41. Dauby Lane
  42. School Lane
  43. Malton Road
  44. Shipton Road
  45. Sheriff Hutton Road
  46. Strensall Road
  47. Mill Lane
  48. Corner Close

Newbury Avenue development – new layout proposed. Contamination and drainage concerns

New Newbury development site layout, Click for large maps

New Newbury development site layout, Click for large maps

A new layout plan for the controversial 9 flat development on the garage area off Newbury Avenue has been published.

It is unlikely that many residents will have seen the plan as objectors have not been alerted to the changes.

The new layout increases the number of parking spaces to be provided to 16 with an additional 5 to be located on vacant land at the Newbury Drive/Windsor Garth junction.

This is the junction which is subject to ponding after heavy rain.

Unfortunately at the same time the Council has said that it won’t be acting quickly to deal with the lack of proper parking opposite Carlton House. Vehicles parking on the bend have caused the bus to mount the footpath on several occasions.  It had been hoped that individual driveways for the house would have been provided across the green area with more parking for residents being constructed to the rear of the flats.

Flooding problems on Windsor Garth

Flooding problems on Windsor Garth

There is no news on where the occupants of the garages will park in future. It had been suggested that the Council should provide dropped kerbs/verge crossovers where the 24 garage occupants wanted to construct an alternative parking space in their  gardens. This idea has not yet been taken forward.

The background papers for the development can be accessed by clicking here

The 3 storey buildings will prove eight 2 bedroomed flats and one single bedroomed unit. Access to each will be by an external walkway.

There are some big questions on drainage arrangements which are yet to be satisfactorily answered.

A report from the Councils protection unit concluded “Therefore, there is a plausible possibility that residual contaminants may be present onsite”. This arises from its former use as a waste disposal site in the 1950’s.

In a later objection the Unit expresses concern about methane gas levels in the area and says,

The soil sampling results identified elevated levels of lead, PAHs, arsenic and vanadium. Remedial work is therefore required, in order to ensure that the site is safe and suitable for its proposed use, and a remediation scheme must be submitted for our approval in due course”.

The ground conditions mean that piling will be required in the construction process.

It is expected that the application will be determined at a meeting which is scheduled to take place on 8th October.

Call for York Council to publish information on blocked drains

Windsor Garth

Windsor Garth

Walton Place

Walton Place

Windsor Garth 33 to 53 Windsor Garth Carlton House 2 Windsor Garth close to Ashford Place

Kingsway West

Kingsway West

Gale Lane

Gale Lane

Danesfort Avenue

Danesfort Avenue

Following a couple of weeks of heavy rain problems with the City’s drainage systems have become more obvious. While most publicity has centred on roadside gullies, the lack of regular cleaning of channels in pedestrian areas, on footpaths and in car parks is also a concern.

As we reported earlier this month, the Council has discontinued the routine “emptying” of gullies. They rely on residents to report blockages. In turn, this depends on the Councils – sometimes creaking – customer contact systems.

As the photos show, even after the rains stops, it takes too long for some areas to drain.

The Council has in the past taken some action to alleviate longer term problems. The then LibDem led Council introduced almost a decade ago a programme aimed at dealing with blocked drainage pipes.

In some cases this meant digging out compacted earth while in others concrete run off had blocked some drains. Some roads had to be re-profiled to provide a better run off.  Yorkshire Water – who are responsible for sewers – occasionally have to power wash out their systems, with carelessly discarded cooking fat often blamed for blockages

There has been a move away from non permeable surfaces with new parking areas on many estates now using a matrix style surface to allow natural soak away.

There have been no reports on the quality of drainage systems made to Council committees recently.  Quality of service data is hard to come by.

A Freedom of information request has now been submitted to the Council asking about the number of outstanding drainage complaints and the number of known long term blocked gulleys where significant engineering work is required to remedy the problem.

The Council is being asked how much it will cost to clear blocked gulleys and the timetable for so doing.

The Council has 28 days in which to respond to the information request.

 

Gulley cleaning – extent of cuts revealed.

Gulley cleaning

Labour run York Council has confirmed that it has reduced by nearly half the number of times that drainage gulleys are cleaned in the City.

In 2010/11, the last year of Liberal Democrat control of the council, there were 38,000 gulley cleans.

In 2013/14, after cuts by Labour in 2012, this was reduced to 20,664.

The reduction has been blamed for increasing problems with so-called ponding and minor flooding on some local streets.

Labour has cut the budget for gulley cleaning by £100,000 or 40% since coming to power, and reduced frontline staff.
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Gulley cleaning halved by York Council

Grange Lane - layby close to School Entrance gulley almost blocked with leavesThe Council has confirmed that it has reduced by nearly half the number of times that drainage gulleys are cleaned in the City.

There were approximately 20664 cleans last year compared to 38000 when the LibDems were in control of the Council.

The cuts are blamed by residents for increasing problems with ponding and flooding in some local streets.

Flooding risk in York

click to update

click to update

A flood warning has been issued by the Environment Agency.

River levels are not expected to increase to those seen in 2012.

Detailed river levels can be found on the EA web site http://tinyurl.com/Ouse-catchment

The best indicator remains the real time CCTV camera which records river levels on Kings Staith (left).

There is a significant risk if the top of the no entry sign disappears under water!