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Significant work is needed to fix the drainage which has caused persistent flooding on a Preston underpass.
The underpass on Preston’s Western Distributor Road has been closed since November as Lancashire County Council (LCC) assessed the situation.
The short tunnel, on Darkinson Lane in Lea, was constructed as part of the £206m link road scheme which has seen a new dual carriageway created connecting Riversway to a new junction 2 on the M55.
However, the underpass has been beset with flooding problems, with water levels rising in the tunnel during period of heavy rain.
And now, in an email seen by Blog Preston, it has been suggested the problems facing Lancashire County Council are bigger than first thought.
The email from a highways officer at LCC to county councillor John Potter, the Liberal Democrat representative for Preston West, states: “I can confirm that there were no mistakes made in the construction of the underpass. Unfortunately it appears that the drainage from the underpass discharges into nearby water courses.
“We believe that these water courses became overwhelmed following the recent extreme rainfall events and could not remove the water from the underpass which quickly flooded. In addition the water has damaged the control panel used to regulate the underpass is drain. This will need to be replaced.
“The repairs to the drains, including the clearing of the water courses, will be met from our Preston drainage budget.
“I am sorry but I cannot provide a timescale for the reopening of the underpass. Investigations are ongoing and we need to liaise with external contractors and suppliers. The investigations are ongoing into the reasons why the watercourses could not cope with the volumes of water. Works may be required to clear any blockages [and] roots which would reduce the flow of water. Once this is complete we will need to replace the control panel.”
A petition has been set up calling on the county council to take action. 24 people have signed so far.
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