Blocked drains a constant flood threat

People living in the two roads complain that because the drains in Deadhearn Lane are constantly full of leaves and mud, the flow of surface water leads to frequent flooding in Gorelands Lane, yet a lack of suitable machinery means that it could be three years before their problems are resolved.
Sue Wakeford of Deadhearn Lane, said that she reported blocked drains in Deadhearn Lane and flooding in Gorelands Lane to Highways on Call (run by BCC) in January 2007 and again in October 2007, when she also complained about overhanging trees and fallen branches in the road.
"A council guy came round to see, yet still no one's come to clear the drains, despite heavy rain," said Mrs Wakeford.
"He told me that there is only one drain clearance vehicle for the whole of Bucks and that it can take three years to get a drain cleared."
Fred Nolan of Gorelands Lane, said that he has campaigned for the flooding problems in the two roads to be put right for more than a decade, both as a resident and as a former chairman of Chalfont St Giles parish council.
He confirmed that the stretch of road between Deadhearn Lane and the gateway to Shrubs Wood can be impassable when water gets to be a foot deep.
"For more than a decade we've despaired of getting anything done by Bucks County Council. After heavy rain, the drains just don't get cleared and because they've kerbed it, the water stays on the road. At least when they had a grass verge with a little ditch behind, it got soaked up," said Mr Nolan.
He added that the problem is exacerbated by cars and heavy vehicles damaging the road' surface when they use Gorelands Lane as a rat-run to the M25.
Chris Schwier of BCC confirmed that the South Bucks and Chiltern area is covered by one gully emptying vehicle, which he said worked full-time. He explained that the stretch of Gorelands Lane between Vache Lane and Chesham Lane is a classified road, which means that drains are emptied once a year, and that Deadhearn Lane is an unclassified road, which means that drains are cleared once very three years.
Mr Schwier admitted that Gorelands Lane is prone to flooding, but said that BCC is working on the problem.
"If we have reports of particular spots with problems, we send a gully-emptier or a jetting machine," he said.