Gullies taken over by weeds

Hundreds of gullies have been reported as blocked in Oldham, as residents and councillors complain the grids on their highways have started looking ‘more like gardens’. 

Photos collected from various locations around the borough show weeds and grass flourishing between the grilles of drainage systems. The gullies in Shaw, Royton and Saddleworth were captured by local councillors, who have criticised the council’s ‘ward by ward’ gully-cleaning schedule. 

Councillor Howard Sykes, who represents Shaw, said: “You do not have to go far to find a visibly blocked drain. I have reported a number that are growing grass and totally blocked, most recently on Milnrow Road between Buckstones Road and the Jubilee area in Shaw (see pic), but the problem is widespread.  

“It’s no good the Council just waiting for residents and councillors to report the worst drains, even then action if often not taken. There needs to be proactive, year-round maintenance otherwise the Council will never catch up. Some of the areas in Shaw are a flooding risk and will be danger to highway users and pedestrians as water pools.”

And Royton councillor Lewis Quigg quipped the council would ‘need a strimmer to cut the curb edges of weeds’ with the number of plants growing out of gullies and pavements. He also wondered if ‘some of the gullies might be eligible for gardening awards’. 

“The grid cleaning programme is not going to come to Royton until the latter half of the year,” Coun Quigg added. “It is a sign of decline not improvement that basics like this are making it look untidy and worse costly when it floods due to blocked grids.” 

While grid cleaning is currently underway in Saddleworth, the council’s environmental team have their work cut out for them. Local councillor Sam Al-Hamdani spent days creating a map of blocked gullies across Springhead and Lees – the total stacked up to almost 200. 

Overgrown gullies in Oldham. Radcliffe Street in Springhead/Grotton. Credit: Sam Al-Hamdani.

Oldham Council had initially promised to carry out a 12-month gully cleaning regime across the borough, but was forced to extend the time frame after making slower than expected progress. The team has visited 10 of Oldham’s 20 wards in 11 months. 

Residents have taken to social media to air their grievances about the gulleys, which they fear will cause flooding in the coming winter months. One Saddleworth resident complained that grids on the A62 were ‘so blocked water flows down the road like a river’.

Another joked ‘if they can’t clean the grids, perhaps they could mow the grass’, sharing a picture of a storm drain with a tuft of greenery growing out of it.

Coun Chris Goodwin, Cabinet Member for Transport and Highways, said: “Since September we have visited eight wards and are now working in Saddleworth West and Lees, as well as Saddleworth North – our tenth ward.

“To date, 14,871 gullies have been cleaned, 5,898 have been attempted but need further work, and 26,635 are still to be completed.

“We have invested an extra £150,000 to carry out a boroughwide programme, which will be completed over the next 12 to 18 months.

“During this time, we will prioritise gullies that pose a risk of flooding or highway safety. Any gullies that remain full will be dealt with as the programme continues.” 

Overgrown gullies in Oldham. By a bus stop in Springhead. Credit: Sam Al-Hamdani.