Gully and drain maintenance road closures

April 14, 2023

Veolia, Southend-on-Sea City Council street cleansing and waste collection partner, has started an ambitious schedule of gully and drain maintenance in areas of the City where access to drain covers has previously been hampered by on-road parking.

On specific dates, residents are being asked to not park on the road. Letters will be delivered and signage placed on the street ahead of the cleansing taking place, so affected residents will be aware.

Regular maintenance of gullies (road drains) is essential to keep the drainage system across the City clear and free of blockages to help reduce the risk of surface flooding. Two Veolia crews will inspect the extensive gully network across the City to undertake the regular 6 monthly clean-ups, however their work is sometimes compromised due to cars parked on the road, meaning the cleaning crew cannot access the drain cover.

Cleaning gullies requires space and clear access:

First, the drain cover is removed.

Then a large tanker with a powerful suction hose is used to suck up debris and detritus from the gully pot.

Finally water is flushed through the drain to ensure it is clear of any blockages.

If the gully is defective, the team reports it location to the Council’s highways department to ensure further investigation and if needed, for repairs take place.

Starting in April, deep cleansing work will be carried out in twenty roads (at the rate of one road per week) in some of the most densely populated areas of the City. Ahead of the cleansing, residents will receive a notice through their door to let them know and signage will be fixed on street lamp columns. To ensure the crews are able to carry-out their job to a high standard, it is important that residents follow the instructions on the letter and avoid parking on the road on that day and during the timeframe specified.

The roads scheduled to receive this deep cleanse soon are:

• Hildaville Drive
• St George's Park Avenue
• Westminster Drive
• Fairmead Avenue
• Fleetwood Avenue
• Ronald Park Drive
• Tintern Avenue
• Southview Drive
• Northview Drive
• Westcliff Park Drive
• Beedell Avenue
• Brightwell Avenue
• Ramuz Drive
• Hainault Avenue
• Glenwood Avenue
• Inverness Avenue
• Silverdale Avenue
• Wenham Drive
• Mcdonald Avenue
• Gainsborough Drive
• Shakespeare Drive

Stuart Atkinson, Senior Contract Manager at Veolia said:

"Gully cleansing is an essential part of our street cleansing operations and I would like to thank our two hard-working crews who carry out this duty five days a week all year round. Unfortunately their access to drain cover is sometimes restricted by the amount of cars parked in the street. We hope that by writing to residents ahead of the scheduled cleanse and putting signage on the street we will be able to work collaboratively to ensure the drainage system in the City is working as efficiently as it can.“

More information about street cleansing can be found at southend.gov.uk/street-care-cleaning