Rutland County Council to check and clear 4,000 gullies ahead of winter
Thousands of gullies will be cleared in a bid to reduce flooding - but a council is still calling on residents to be prepared.
Rutland County Council is ramping up its annual programme of highways work to help reduce the risk of flooding, with 4,000 gullies due to be checked and cleared in the coming weeks.
Alongside the gully cleaning programme, roadside verge drainage grip cutting will create natural gullies and ditches to help drain water from the highway.
Coun Christine Wise (Lib Dem), cabinet member for transport, environment and communities at Rutland County Council, said: “Memories of the recent floods are still fresh in many people’s minds – particularly in communities that were worst affected.
“We’ve been working throughout the year to maintain the local highway network and drainage systems that handle rainfall and surface water.
“You can expect to see even more of this activity over the coming weeks, to reduce the risk of flooding as we head into winter.
“Even with all this work, businesses and communities still have a role to play in preparing for flooding and should be doing this now – before the winter sets in again.
“We can never fully eliminate the risk of flooding so please make sure you’re prepared.”
Crews have also been undertaking camera surveys in Whitwell, one of the areas of Rutland worst affected by flooding between October 2023 and January 2024, to examine drains connected to the A606 and Exton Road.
Inquiries in Whitwell remain ongoing as part of a countywide Section 19 investigation, triggered by the severity of the winter floods.
This work is helping to gather information about the causes of local flooding, to help communities and local agencies reduce the risk of future flood events.
Lincolnshire County Council has also been carrying out gully cleansing with six tankers covering pre-planned routes.
The number of gullies and chambers cleansed since April 2024 is 69,986 with 69,789 remaining of the annual target.
