Gully cleaning could be better

As regular blog readers will know Gully cleaning has featured lots on this blog but I've not mentioned for a while. So here is a wee update as I am still seeking improvements to Highways over the issue of SUDs.

There has been a desperate need to update the County's Design Guidance re SUDs and more. The current Guidance dates to 1999, with a review in 2001, and there are areas that do not reflect national policy or best practice (such as Manual for Streets for example). The County is working to ensure that they make progress with a review and may well have developed a policy as the target was to have an adopted Transportation Design Guide for publication by the end of 2008. However despite having made many comments I have not heard news so this week have been chasing up.

Meanwhile here is an email below to Highways re their recent gully cleaning programme which saw our area have all the gullies tackled.

Photos: Gullies with sludge piled up beside them in Humphreys End

Just a note to give a huge welcome to your gully cleaning programme but I am disappointed that the sludge is still being piled up next to the gullies - see two photos below - in one place the sludge is now as high as the Cotswold stone wall it is leaning against - this is clearly not good for the wall.

Furthermore as noted previously in these critical sites like at Humphreys End and Ash Lane in Randwick piling the sludge up there means with the next heavy rain it gets washed straight back down into the gully (see photos). I understood from a previous conversation with you that you would alert the teams to this issue and certainly at least in key sites this practice would be discontinued.

I would welcome your views as I am concerned we are not getting the best out of this programme. Can we please get teams to take the sludge completely away from the gullies?

Cllr. Philip Booth