Council act to stem the tide of flood hotspots

THERE MAY well be a lot of stories like this one over the next few weeks as the rains continue to pour.

And it seems that as soon as one large puddle is dealt with then another turns up out of nowhere.

However, residents and drivers who live and drive through South Road in South Ockendon complained about the flooded part of the road near to Buckles Lane.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, contacted YT to complain.

She said: “Since Boxing Day, the puddle has got worse and worse. Cars have really struggled to get through it as well as buses.

“It must do untold damage to the buses.”

The flooded area was in an area where roadworks have been operating for some time.

A spokesperson for Thurrock Council said: “South Road in Ockendon suffered surface water flooding close to the Chestnut Garden Centre, and the council’s jetter/gully-cleaning vehicle has attempted to reduce the water levels by cleaning gullies and jetting through the system.

“This has been successful to a large degree.

“However, there appears to still be a restriction on the water flow and the council has contacted Anglian Water – which has responsibility for the main sewers – and asked them to carry out checks. Unfortunately, they are experiencing severe demands on their service, so it may take some time.

“Flooding of the road here has not happened until recently and it is possible some damage has been caused by recent National Grid mains replacement work. At present there is no evidence to show whether this is so or not, and it is being investigated.

“The road – which will be swept again shortly – is clear of water at the moment and the council will be keeping an eye on the situation.”