Water water everywhere (particularly on Tadcaster Road)

Cllr Stephen Fenton has asked council officers to investigate measures to tackle the frequent flooding on Tadcaster Road at the junction with Calcaria Court (near the St Helens Road traffic lights).

A dip in the road surface combined with some strategically ill-placed drains has created a ‘bowl’ in which water accumulates. The picture below was taken on Sunday 15th November.

Calcaria Court

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen is also asking officers to look again at the drainage arrangements outside the vets and Vinyl Eddie’s on Tadcaster Road. The area was cleared recently, but the ‘lagoon’ next to the bus stop is as bad as ever and mixed with rotting leaves, has formed a thick sludge. The local Lib Dem team believe that a more fundamental look at drainage arrangements at this location is needed.

 

Flooding risks in York

Kings Staithe web cam click to update

Kings Staith web cam click to update

It’s that time of year again and 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 (above).
There is a significant risk if the top of the “no entry” sign disappears under water!
You can register to receive flooding alerts by clicking here (phone text or Email)

 

Motorists advised to avoid Tadcaster Road if possible this afternoon

St Helen's Road 1400 hours 13th May 2015

St Helen’s Road 1400 hours 13th May 2015

It looks like Tadcaster Road will be very congested at teatime.

St Helen’s Road is still closed although now relatively free of surface water following the burst main earlier today. Workers are still digging their way down to the source of the problem. There is access for pedestrians and cyclists (who will need to dismount next to the roadworks)

It is race day so several hundred vehicles will be leaving the Knavesmire at tea time.

Those who can are advised to avoid driving down Tadcaster Road.

The number 4 bus route diversion remains in place.

Flooding warning in York

A flood warning has been issued by the Environment Agency. River levels are not expected to increase to those encountered in 2012.

Click for access (commercial web site with advert)

Click for access (commercial web site with advert)

River Ouse web cam Click to access latest information

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

Click to access Environment Agency monitoring station data (central York)

Click to access Environment Agency monitoring station data (central York)

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

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

You can register here to receive flood warnings by phone, text or email.

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.

(more…)

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

Call for York Council to publish information on blocked drains

Freedom of information request lodged

Woodthorpe Shops

Woodthorpe Shops

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.

Bracken Road

Bracken Road

Bracken Road

Bracken Road

North Lane

North Lane

North Lane

North Lane

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.

Several problems were reported by Liberal Democrat campaigner Stephen Fenton (pictured) yesterday.

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.

 

 

Minor flooding 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!