Maintaining the drainage and gullies for surface water on
Suffolk's roads, dealing with flooding of the highway caused
by run off and providing temporary flood warning signs.
Trunk roads are managed by consultants Atkins on behalf of
the
Highways Agency. Any
questions regarding these roads should be directed
to Atkins rather than Suffolk County Council.
Problems with drainage in the following towns or parishes
should be directed to:
Suffolk County Council install and maintain drainage systems on
the rest of Suffolk's roads and, if necessary, nearby property to
drain water from the surface of the road. It is
our responsibility to maintain the drainage systems, unless
they have been adopted by the drainage authority, which in Suffolk
is Anglian Water.
- Road drains are usually ones which only take water from
the roads.
- Where the drain takes water from houses, factories and other
areas that are not part of the road, they are usually Anglian Water
drains.
Cleaning
We have programmes of regular cleaning of drainage systems,
which helps to prevent blockages. As well as cleaning each gully,
we flush the system when necessary.
The following are cleaned at least once a year:
- gullies - those often blocked by leaves or silt will be cleaned
more regularly;
- kerb offlets; and
- roadside grips.
Other systems are checked and cleaned or repaired when
required, or when a problem is reported by the public. These
include:
- catchpits and soakaways;
- covers and gratings;
- piped drainage systems;
- Highway Authority ditches.
Drainage problems
Any potentially dangerous problems associated with drainage
systems are normally dealt with within 24 hours. This includes
damaged covers, which can collapse and present a danger to road
users.
Problems with blocked drainage leading to flooding on roads are
dealt with within two to four weeks.
Many open ditch drainage systems next to roads are historic and the
nearby landowner has responsibility for maintenance. Suffolk County
Council has powers to clean and restore the level of these ditches
as appropriate.
Other organisations
Main drains or foul sewers are the responsibility of Anglian
Water who can be contacted on 0800 145 145.
If your property is flooded, please contact your
local district or borough council.
Rivers that rise and flood are dealt with by the Environment
Agency. The FLOODLINE Service can be contacted on
0845 988 1188.
For more information contact your
Customer Service
Centre.