Highway drainage systems

We use a risk-based approach to look after more than 250,000 drains. To make sure we can attend to the drains when we have to, and keep costs down, we've set up a maintenance plan.

We will clear drains on our most vital roads yearly. These vital roads make up our strategic road network. For minor roads, we clean them over the course of 3 years. We base the cleaning of these roads on:

• road hierarchy
• speed limit
• whether it is a known flood zone.

Learn about how we manage the highway infrastructure.

We check drains on high-speed roads once a year from April and September.

If a gully is causing flooding or concern, report it to us.

Our programme of works allows us to look after our drains throughout the year. This means you do not need to let us know, but we appreciate it when you do tell us. If you still feel that you need to report an issue to us, you can.

Once you report the issue, we will check if we can do the extra work with our current programme. We look at the:

• information and evidence provided
• history of the area
• date of the next scheduled cleanse
• potential impact of the issues reported.

If the flooding is causing internal flooding, or it's impassable, we class this as an emergency. Where possible, we will attend within 2 hours. In extreme flash floods, this isn't always possible.

For defects found during routine checks, a drainage engineer will investigate.

If we tell you we are cleaning the drains in your road, try to park your vehicle elsewhere. We cannot clean the drains if your car is in the way.

We request that you do not put waste down drains. By tipping materials such as concrete or oil, you can block the drainage system. This can lead to the contamination of streams, rivers, and land.

In autumn and winter, clear away any fallen leaves blocking the drains. To remove the leaves safely, you must:

• wear gloves if you are clearing leaves by hand
• put leaves in your normal rubbish bin or in a compost bin
• be careful not to step into traffic on the road and be aware of others
• not lift the drain covers or put your hands into the drain. There may be sharp objects you cannot see

To repair or improve our drainage systems, our work includes:

• investigation work
• minor works
• broken pipe repairs
• installing and enhancing drainage systems.

We can carry out investigations using CCTV to find the root cause and repair the issue.

If an area keeps flooding, we will investigate it further. In our investigation, we will see how we can improve the situation and when we can fix the issue. We'll focus on road safety and the risk of flooding to properties.

If a blocked drain or flooding on a road is causing you concern, report it to us.