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FORMBY UNDERWATER
FORMBY was
awash as heavy rain lashed down at midday, on Thursday, 6 October
2009. The deluge of rain overwhelmed most of Formby's road drains.
We have learned from Sefton MBC that they only get cleaned three
times a year. Leaves and litter clogged the drain covers, stopping
the flow of water going down the drain from many of Formby's main
routes, creating driving hazards. The overflow from the clogged
drains ran into gardens and, in some cases, backed up household
drains, and ran into adjacent property. "It is shocking. The
level of the water in the main storm drains is not that high. It is
just the silt and mess from the unclean roads and also the un-pumped
drains that is affecting the flow of the water as you can see. The
roads have not been fully cleaned for some time and over summer,
grass cutting, litter and leaves are just left to blow into the
road. This is not a result of our low lying area, but a result from
poorly cleaned roads and drains", one resident told us as he
lifted his storm drain to show us the level of the water. Other
residents also demonstrated the fact that the main drains here able
to take the water, after they went out to clean them, themselves.
"It is silly. We get told by Sefton, it is United Utilities who
look after some of the drains, the Environment Agency, other
drainage systems and Sefton's is contracted out… The upkeep of these
storm drains is a joke. No-one takes responsibility!" an
angry resident informed us. Another added:- "I am sick of
having to sweep up the leaves to stop the drain clogging up. The
silt in the drains could be stopped as well, if the road was better
cleaned." Others added even more complaints as we took
mobile film footage of the flood and also photographs. Sefton did
however respond fairly quickly, bringing in a pump, but many asked:-
"Why can't they just prevent it from happening by simply
cleaning the roads better and pumping the drains?" One of
the most interesting things was the way motorists acted, with many
of them ploughing through the water at quite a speed, splashing
pedestrians and causing the water, that in some cases was already
lapping boundaries, to spread further and into some of the
properties. Each time a speeding car or van, and at one point a
speeding truck shot past, the water showered home-owners, who were
frantically trying to stop the water entering their homes. One
resident said:- "People have no sense. It is not sensible to
drive at speed through any water at any time… but can't they see it
is entering our homes and worse… It is splashing on us!"
Unofficially Sefton commented (as many of the readers know, Sefton
has us in 'Coventry'), "it was an usually high amount
of rain fall. We cannot say how much fell at this point, as we do
not have the official statistics, but you can see the result. We
have been trying to get all parties to work together and clean this
mess up. We have asked that the other parties involved with drainage
to take a look at the issue, but that is as far as we can go. We
have pumped quite a few roads dry in Formby, but we know we cannot
do this on our own." Viewers can see our footage,
photographs and hear some of the many comments we have taken over
this, by clicking on
here now… What are your views
on this? Were you affected by it? Do you think the new pumping
systems will help? Email your views and thought to us now via
email. |
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