Danger-Flooding at bottom of Pound Hill

Wed 23 Feb 2022, 19:45

Hi Philip. I have used Fix my street recently to see if it works for potholes. I reported the new hole at the entrance to Spelsbury by that pesky underground drainage system at about here https://w3w.co/musician.credible.mistaking

That did work. 

I did however report some big holes on the lane up from Dean to the B4026, and nothing has been done there to date. Reported 7/2. I accept this lane does not have high usage, so not priority. 

Wed 23 Feb 2022, 16:41

I have noticed that the roadside hedges now have to be cut much earlier / later in the year to avoid nesting birds. Fair enough, but this is something of an own goal as it puts the debris into the road at wetter times of year increasing the risk of blocked drains. 

OCC cutbacks mean that gully emptying generally only happens once every THREE years! 

What interests me is the different priorities given to rural and urban roads. Flooded and severely potholed roads would not be tolerated in central Oxford, so why here?

Re Jim's suggestion, Fix My Street (not owned by OCC) is quite a good reporting system. Devolution of maintenance to District Council level might have some merit, but I fear that Witney, Carterton and Woodstock would be the main beneficiaries.

Mon 21 Feb 2022, 11:12 (last edited on Mon 21 Feb 2022, 11:13)

Interestingly, I have seen & reported blocked gullies that have been cleared but the volume & rate at which road debris plus hedge debris (either clippings or wind damage) builds up in the drain covers.  So however good the reporting / remedy system provided by OCC it'll never keep up with the problem.  Perhaps this is something that should be devolved to the Town Council to manage?  The local focus (perhaps in league with other local parishes?) would provide a much better service.

Mon 21 Feb 2022, 08:25

Lack of maintenance to the gully’s and drains is so apparent , no leaf removal and the road drains are blocked . 

Sun 20 Feb 2022, 20:11

Watch out if you are driving in the direction of Spelsbury tonight the bottom of Pound Hill is flooded. You can pass carefully by the river triangle