After weeks of good weather during the lockdown residents and businesses across the borough have been hit by flash floods as heavy rain fell and drains were overwhelmed. But Heywood and Middleton MP, Chris Clarkson spoke out today saying that council bosses need to be doing more the ensure that drainage systems are clear and ready to cope and that planning needs to make considerations for the effects it has.
Mr. Clarkson said: "Instances of flooding across the borough have been terrible over the past 48 hours. My team were in Middleton yesterday and witnessed scenes of water flowing from the gardens and flooding into the shopping centre. This was compounded by huge quantities of bark washing down and blocking grids and gullies. Shopping centre staff were quick to clean up but as businesses begin to reopen this is the last thing they needed."
"Similarly residents on Martindale Cresent were left to deal with standing water covering the whole highway and on Manchester Road in Rhodes some drivers took the risk while others were forced to turn around as water levels became too high to pass."
"I will be writing to Rochdale Council to ask that they look closely at some basics like the use of loose ground coverings, maintenance of gullies and watercourses and the impact of new planning applications on flooding."
"I will also be writing to Labour’s Mayor of Greater Manchester to share my concerns about how his GMSF will undoubtedly add to the flooding issues if large swathes of green field and greenbelt land are developed."
"We know that dry weather followed by rain can lead to flash floods but this is no consolation to those who are directly effected and now face clean-up costs and more lost business, more action is needed to avoid these problems."
