Former leader urges Oldham Council to clear out overflowing gully grids

A FORMER Oldham Council leader is on a mission to make sure the local authority clears out the mounting number of blocked gully grids overflowing across Saddleworth.

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Richard Knowles by one of the blocked grids on Tunstead Lane

Richard Knowles, who lives in Greenfield, says the reduction of the Council’s use of three grid cleaning vehicles to one has caused maintenance problems across the borough, contributing to flooding and poor road conditions.

He is documenting blocked grids on short walks around Greenfield, Grasscroft, Friezland and Uppermill and has so far reported at least 56 to the Council.

He said: “If this is replicated across Saddleworth and the rest of the borough, many hundreds of gully grids are likely to be blocked and causing flooding.

“Oldham Council used to use three cleaning vehicle, which enabled planned maintenance across the borough and reactive maintenance where there were localised problems.

“A short-sighted budget cut reduced the service to just one vehicle, the abandonment of planned maintenance and a lack of capacity to keep grids from becoming blocked up with silt and rotted leaves.

“This problem is massive. Oldham Council cannot continue to duck the issue of its lack of capacity to provide a safe service to the public.”

He continued: “Anyone who walks round soon Saddleworth notices dozens of blocked grids, deterioration of tarmac road surfaces, with rain water eroding the surfaces and edges, and localised flooding.

“This flooding gushes down hillsides and into houses, for example on Tunstead Lane, and cause more problems.

“And when roads surfaces on steep hillsides like Holmfirth Road are awash with running water and silt, they are a safety hazard, especially in freezing conditions.”

Mr Knowles says he has had no response to his offer to walk round the area with the Chief Executive and Council Leader but some grids have been cleared, including at Kinders Lane and in Friezland.

Cllr Dave Hibbert, who was Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and Transport when the Independent went to print, said work on the grids is ongoing.

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Water running over a blocked grid on Holmfirth Road

“Saddleworth is a rural area and residents have to accept the concentration of leaves, dirt and similar silt will be higher than in urban areas,” he said.

“Gullies are cleaned in line with recognised guidelines on a cyclical basis, but there was unprecedented rainfall during December, causing higher levels of debris than usual.

“A new jetter unit has already been purchased to enable reactive maintenance to be more easily accommodated.”

He added: “Mr Knowles’ main criticism is a budget cut has resulted in the problems that he has reported. I totally reject his claim.

“Changes in shift patterns have resulted in a seven-day working week and the number of gullies cleaned each day has increased.

“I have brought the matter to the attention of officers and they will be investigated in due course.”

He added that investment in additional equipment including new sweepers equipped with gully attachment to enable reactive maintenance is to be carried out.

 

4 Replies to “Former leader urges Oldham Council to clear out overflowing gully grids”

  1. TO ADD TO THE LIST OF BLOCKED GRIDS,I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH OLDHAM COUNCIL SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT BLOCKED GRIDS IN DELPH, THESE ARE ON OLDHAM RD, HUDDERSFIELD ROAD,THE SOUND,DOBCROSS NEW ROAD, GET THE SAME ANSWER ON EVERY OCCASION ( THEY ONLY COME OUT ONCE A YEAR NOW,) THIS IS 3 YEARS DOWN THE LINE AND GRIDS STILL NOT BEEN ATTENDED TO, WE ALSO GET A LOT OF SILT AND GRAVEL AND TONS OF LEAVES ETC WASHING DOWN THE HILL FROM THE DIRECTION OF DELPH CRICKET CLUB, THERE IS ALSO A CONSTANT FLOOD ACROSS OLDHAM ROAD GOING TOWARS OLDHAM OFF THE FIELDS WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN IT FREEZES, IM AMAZED THERS NOT BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT THERE !!! . PITY THERES NO COMMON SENCE OR INTELLIGENCE COMMING FROM THE POWERS AT BE AT THE TOWN HALL .(ITS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE IS IT )

  2. Hi geoff, slightly different problem our grid has been cleaned every year except this year now it’s on an unadopted road. I have requested a schedule of works completed over the years , surprise surprise it’s not arrived yet.

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