Express & Star

Repair work appeal to fix faulty drain flooding A5

A faulty drain which regularly floods – haemorrhaging water across a busy main road – is putting lives in danger, a motorist warns.

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A faulty drain regularly floods water across the busy A5 between Gailey island and Weston-under-Lizard. Picture: Google

The water cascades on to the A5 in Staffordshire, halfway between Gailey Island and the A41 junction at Weston-under-Lizard, through a manhole cover.

IT director Shaun Devey, who commutes daily along that stretch, has raised concerns over the state of the road with Staffordshire County Council a number of times in the past three months without any response from service chiefs.

With winter approaching and temperatures set to plummet, the problem is only going to get worse, he warns.

"The drain is haemorrhaging water and has been doing for several months," he said. "The water covers a 30-yard stretch of the road and when that ices over as it gets colder, it's going to put our lives in danger. Some poor soul is going to get killed.

"I suspect the drain is blocked but despite calling the county council several times, no one has called me back or come to repair it. I'm in despair."

Mr Devey, who travels from his home in Telford to Lichfield every day, said he initially called the council on July 3 to report the problem and has rang a number of times since. He has also emailed the chief executive.

The frustrated motorist has watched council workmen carry out other work in the road – but not fix the drain.

"In that time the council have filled a pothole nearby and resurfaced the whole road, yet they continue to allow water to flood it," he said. "It's wasting our council tax and putting lives at risk."

Staffordshire County Council said it was aware of the problem but had given priority to more urgent jobs.

Councillor Helen Fisher, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Our highways crews have been busy dealing with the aftermath of the recent flooding across the county but the work to repair the manhole is planned and will take place as soon as resources are available."