MORE than 50 gullies are blocked in York and require significant engineering work to tackle the problems.

A Freedom of Information request to City of York Council has revealed that it received 459 reports of blocked gullies in the last 18 months, and it took an average time of five and a half days to clear them.

It said there were 55 outstanding blocked gullies where significant engineering work would be required to remedy the problem.

"The programme for significant engineering works is £200,000 per annum and schemes are delivered on a rolling annual programme," it said.

Flood risk manager Steve Wragg told The Press that as part of a rolling programme, the authority was continuing to invest in cleaning York’s gullies, and key routes were cleansed annually.

"All residents’ reports of blocked gullies are inspected and where possible reactive maintenance works are carried out, with the average response time being 5.5 working days from receipt of the report," he said.

"There are currently 55 sites that require further works, some may be simple remedies but others may require extensive investigations so time and cost to remedy each varies significantly."

His comments came as a report was published earlier this week, detailing York's draft Local Flood Risk Management Strategy, which outlines the action needed to protect the city from future flooding risks.

Mr Wragg said the strategy report, which goes to the council's cabinet next week, supported the need for continued investment in highway maintenance to manage flood risks.


Work needed

THESE are the 48 streets where significant engineering work is needed to tackle blocked gullies, some of which have more than one location requiring work: Ten Thorn Lane, Back Lane, Shipton Road (inside outer Ring Road), A1237 School Lane, Wetherby Road, Field Lane, Windsor Drive, Hull Road, York Road, Bishopthorpe Road, Wigginton Road, Top Lane, A1237 (Millfield roundabout), Wetherby Road, Main Street, Wheldrake Lane, Karelia and Ashdale Crossing, Long Lane, Heslington, Vicarage Lane, Cow Moor Bridge, The Village, Stockton on Forest, The Village, Strensall, Cleveland Way, Bad Bargain Lane, Moor Lane, Lords Moor Lane, Naburn Lane, Elvington Lane, Grantham Drive, Welland Rise, Beckfield Lane, A1237, Rawcliffe, Hurricane Way, Sitwell Grove, Huntington Road, Front Street, Bishopthorpe Road, Haxby Road, Gray Street, Dauby Lane, School Lane, Malton Road, Shipton Road, Sheriff Hutton Road, Strensall Road, Mill Lane, Corner Close.