And this year we have a simple plea - move your car for the specialist tanker doing the job down your street, or we might have to move it for you
Given the recent drought conditions, getting rid of surface water might seem like an issue that’s a million miles away – but the work to stop it becoming a problem needs to start now. Otherwise, we will all have a big problem to get over when the autumn rains arrive.
That’s why Lincolnshire County Council is carrying out a programme of drain emptying and cleaning on the streets. It’s time-critical and essential work to clear drains and gullies of detritus that could block things up and stop them working properly when needed the most.
Depending on the site, routine drainage maintenance is carried out on six‑monthly, annual or two‑year cycles and helps keep water flowing, reduces the risk of surface water flooding and allows the team to record any defects or silt build‑up.
But there’s a problem that we need YOUR help to get past. It’s parked cars that don’t move off the street in time to let the machine get to the drains.
Parked cars are one of the main reasons drains can’t be cleaned and when vehicles are left in place, the tanker can’t get along the street, and the gullies cannot be accessed. Recently, this has led to drains remaining blocked and it has even contributed to localised flooding during heavy rain.
So, to prevent this happening again, residents are being asked to move their vehicles on the scheduled days so the team can complete the work and if these vehicles are NOT moved then parking restrictions will apply.
What could that mean? It could mean that problem vehicles are moved in order to clear the street, THAT’S what it could mean.
The way it works is like this; residents and businesses will be notified of drain works in advance - postcards will be delivered to properties on affected streets and signs will be placed on site showing the exact date the drain cleaning team will attend. These dates are fixed and crews will be on site as advertised. The tanker is a large vehicle and needs a clear route to reach every drain. On the day of the visit, all parking will be removed from the street. Where there are normally parking bays or residential permit bays, these will be suspended. On streets without existing restrictions, a temporary order will be in place preventing parking, waiting and stopping. Access for residents will be maintained wherever it is safe to do so, but vehicles must NOT be left on the street.
The latest programme of streets where vehicles must be moved is listed below. Each location includes the date of attendance with each having a ‘no waiting at any time’ temporary traffic order in place for the entire day or parking bay suspensions 7am to 10pm if appropriate.
Lincoln
- Bargate, 19 August
- Bell Street, 19 August
- Church Drive, 19 August
- Coleridge Green, 20 August
- Cranwell Street, 19 August
- Craven Street, 19 August
- Edward Street, 19 August
- Ermine Close, 19 August
- Francis Street, 19 August
- Frank Street, 19 August
- Burns Gardens, 20 August
- Frank Wright Court, 20 August
- Greetwell Place, 20 August
- Henley Court, 19 August
- Henley Street, 19 August
- Manby Street, 19 August
- Massey Road, 19 August
- Peel Street, 19 August
- Putnam Drive, 20 August
- Riseholme Road Service Road, 19 August
- Robey Street, 19 August
- Ruskin Green, 20 August
- Saville Street, 19 August
- Sidney Street, 19 August
- St Giles Avenue, 19 August
- St Helens Avenue, 19 August
- St Matthews Close, 19 August
- Stanley Street, 19 August
- Tealby Street, 19 August
- Urban Street, 19 August
- Victoria Street, 19 August
- Webb Street, 19 August
Binbrook
-
High Street, 17 August
Louth
- Eastfield Road, 17 August, no waiting at any time order 6am to 10pm
- Little Lane, 17 August, no waiting at any time order 6am to 10pm
- Mount Pleasant Avenue, 17 August, no waiting at any time order 6am to 10pm
- Schoolhouse Lane, 17 August, no waiting at any time order 6am to 10pm
Stamford
- Anne Road, 17 to 18 August, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
- Bentley Street, 17 to 18 August, parking bay suspensions 7am to 10pm
- Broad Street, 17 to 18 August, parking bay suspensions 7am to 10pm
- Charles Road, 17 to 18 August, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
- Edmonds Close, 17 to 18 August, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
- New Street, 17 to 18 August, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
- Northumberland Avenue, 17 to 18 August, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
- Rutland Terrace, 18 August, parking bay suspensions 7am to 10pm
- Service Roads for King Road and Queen Street, 17 to 18 August, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
- Sheep Market, 18 August, parking bay suspensions 7am to 10pm
- Stanley Street, 17 to 18 August, parking bay suspensions 7am to 10pm
- Station Road, 18 August, parking bay suspensions 7am to 10pm
- Vine Street, 17 to 18 August, parking bay suspensions 7am to 10pm
- Worcester Crescent, 17 to 18 August, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
Nettleham
-
Cross Street, 7 September, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
Boston
- Hartley Street, 5 October, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
- Norfolk Place, 5 October, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
- Orchard Street, 5 October, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
Wrangle
-
Church Close, 5 October, no waiting at any time order 7am to 10pm
In addition to the drain works plan, whilst parking is suspended, we may have other highway teams joining the crew to carry out work such as pothole repairs. This helps make the most of the clear street and reduces the need for further disruption later on.
Cllr David East, Executive Member for Highways and Transport at Lincolnshire County Council said: “We’re running a widespread scheme of this preventative drainage clearance so that when the poor weather arrives,the road gullies and drains have a better chance of dealing with the sudden increase in water that often happens in short bursts of time.
“The very best way we can do this is to make sure that the assets themselves are not blocked and can have a clear channel to the bigger sewers under the ground. Previously, the team has found that - despite lots of notice beforehand - cars were left parked up, often directly over the drains themselves.
“We can’t have that happening because it really halts the progress of the positive work we’re trying to deliver. Hopefully this year everyone will abide by the temporary parking restrictions, and we can clear the gullies and drains as we want to.
“If that happens then surface road water at these sites will be cleared away a lot faster than it otherwise would have been. We do not want to have to physically remove cars that are blocking the work, but it is an option for us that we will have to consider as we move around the county.
“Thank you in advance for your help in this part of keeping your neighbourhood drains clear.”