Action taken on flooding in Ramsbottom

Bury Council is taking action to alleviate the flooding which has caused disruption in Bolton Road West in Ramsbottom.

The problem has arisen due to a nearby culvert being breached multiple times by utility companies.

Engineers will be on site tomorrow (Tuesday 15 Dec) to begin excavations in an attempt to divert the flow of water via a temporary culvert. Local residents will be leafleted to keep them informed of what work needs to be done.

Cllr Tony Isherwood, cabinet member for the environment, said: “The blame for this falls squarely on the shoulders of the gas, electricity and telecoms companies, whose unauthorised installation of services have breached the culvert. It is their responsibility to undertake the necessary repairs to the damage they have caused.

“We have been working with the utility companies for some time and have given them every opportunity to carry out the remedial works required. However, the extreme wet weather has meant that they are not able to do the work as quickly as we would like, especially as one of these services is a high voltage electricity cable.

“Consequently, the council will start excavations to create a temporary opening in the culvert downstream from the current blockage and will use sandbags to divert the flow back into this temporary opening. This may require the complete closure of the footway.

“The utility companies will then be able to programme their works to arrive at a permanent solution sometime in the new year.”

Cllr Isherwood added: “We have every sympathy with residents who have had to put up with this unacceptable level of disruption. The council is doing everything it can to get the utility companies to take action so that the problem can be remedied.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 14 December 2015.