Irresponsibility is a drain

9th September 2021

We regularly litter pick in areas close to the town centre. Have you ever looked in the drains? Many of them are blocked having not been cleaned for… well, how long does it take for them to fill up with soil and plants to grow? Litter is also blocking drains.

Road drainage is important to keep road surfaces free from water, protecting from flooding. It maintains the surface of the road and its foundations, as well as that of adjoining pavement. Adequate drainage keeps maintenance costs, resources used and environmental impacts low. Conversely poor maintenance will further road wear increasing costs for us all and negatively impacting the environment.

I recently spoke with a council street cleaner about the blocked drains. He expressed concerns about flash flooding, especially around hills. The lack of drain maintenance could put people and animals in danger, potentially damaging homes, businesses, and infrastructure. Extreme flooding has occurred across the world in 2021, causing devastation to people's lives.

The borough council ask for blocked drains to be reported. Given the high number of blocked drains that we've found, the current system doesn't seem to work. We will contact the borough council to sort this out.

Blog by Ben Bell