New gully cleansing programme in Bucks over two-thirds complete

For the second year running Buckinghamshire Council has pledged to clean 85,000 highway gullies across the county, repairing those that require it. The operation has been ongoing since the spring and now, the teams have successfully cleaned more than two-thirds.

Gullies are an important part of the highway drainage system that minimise flood damage. This second year of clearing out the gullies will help them to work at their best, protecting property and minimising the damage to highways caused by runoff from roads.

Last year the council allocated a multi-million-pound budget towards the programme. As each site was visited, it was recorded on a digital mapping system to pinpoint the exact location of each drain electronically for the first time, providing an accurate and up to date position for future use.

With a second-year programme of cleaning, the council will have a wealth of information recorded on the high-tech mapping system to allow an intelligence-led approach to gully cleansing programmes in future years – with those in most need being cleaned most often.

Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport, said:

“I’m so pleased that we’re able to continue our gully cleansing programme into a second year. Without a doubt, this work has had a huge impact on ensuring our road and drainage systems are better equipped to deal with bad weather and heavy rainfall.

“Our crews and contractors have been working tirelessly and are carefully plotting their routes to make the best use of time in order to be as efficient as possible with the resources available.”