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Welsh Liberal Democrats Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru |
Pontypridd Devastated By Floods Again
June 6, 2009 11:00 PM
John Bell in Cemetery Rd
Rhondda Cynon Taff Highways department has been blasted as being 'totally inept' by Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillors in Pontypridd after floods hit the area for the second time in 9 months.
Treforest Councillor John Bell spent hours up to his knees in muddy flood water at Cemetery Road, trying to clear drains there enough to keep the water away from houses.
"The people here and in other areas of Treforest were badly hit by the floods last September. They were promised by RCT Highways that it would not happen again, that preventative measures would be taken.
It is heartbreaking for them to have to sit and watch it all happen again whilst the Council do nothing to help. It was hours before anyone from the Highways department turned up. They lifted one manhole cover, and left, saying there was nothing else they could do as they had no sand bags or flood signs."
The force of the water lifted newly laid road surfaces, and some roads were impassable. Along Merthyr Road a fountain appeared out of one manhole, whilst Cilfynydd was also badly hit.
Councillor Mike Powell who represents the Trallwn ward said there are serious questions to be answered.
"Much of this has been caused because the drains are simply not cleaned on a regular basis. Particularly in areas where any building work has taken place they are full of silt and gravel and the water has nowhere to go."
RCT Streetcare manager Nigel Wheeler said last month that they had spent less than half of what they originally planned on preventative measures because they had no extra funding from the Assembly. This, says Cllr Powell, is unacceptable.
"This is essential work, and cannot simply be laid aside. The long term costs are far higher than the amount they need to spend on preventative measures. Not only is this causing extreme distress to residents affected, but there is the cost of clean up and repair works to the Council to consider.
Several stretches of road which have recently been laid have been lifted, and will need to be redone - which incidentally begs the question how good a job was done in the first place?
The department was totally unprepared. There were nowhere near enough men available to deal with the problems, and those they pulled in as emergency cover were ill equipped for the task."
Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillors put forward a motion earlier this year of no confidence in the Cabinet Member for Highways, Cllr Andrew Morgan. That was based on his handling of the Home to school transport fiasco at the beginning of the school year, and again during the snow in February.
They believe that this latest debacle leaves Cllr Morgan with further questions to answer.
ENDS
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