£1million deal aims to tackle flooding on Dudley's roads

Dudley Council’s five-year agreement with wastewater and drainage specialist Onsite Central Limited will allow crews to attend more roadside gullies, which can become blocked with debris, to allow surface water to drain away.

Council bosses have invested an extra £90,000 into the clearing of gullies this financial year which will allow crews to work on a third of all estate gullies each year, resulting in all gullies being targeted every three years.

Previously, they were cleaned when a problem was identified or when an issue was raised with the council. The new money will allow the crews to attend more gullies on a rolling programme.

Main road gullies and channels in flooding hot spots are visited at least once a year to minimise the risk of issues on the road.

Councillor Shaz Saleem with HGV assistant Josh Beckley. Pic - Dudley Council

Councillor Shaz Saleem, Dudley’s cabinet member for highways, said: “We have said that keeping our roads clear for people to use is one of our top priorities, which is demonstrated by the extra investment this year. The environmental impact of flooding on the roads is also very clear and we need to keep on top of that.

“This new deal with Onsite is very welcome and we are very much looking forward to working together on this important issue.”

Thomas Rochford, national operations manager at OnSite - part of the South Staffordshire Plc Group, said: “It’s fantastic to see the commitment Dudley Council has made to proactively maintain their highways drainage asset.

“Our teams are vastly experienced in supporting clients with this important work and we can’t wait to get started to help the council in their mission to reduce local roads flooding due to debris build-up.”