Lanes Group wins work to alleviate flood risks in major Lancashire town

Lanes Group is helping to identify and resolve widespread potential flood problems in a town in Greater Manchester.

Bolton Council has called in Lanes to carry out CCTV drainage surveys of culverts, followed by cleaning works, as part of the strategic management of flood risks in the town.

The council, as Lead Local Flood Authority under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, is responsible for flood risk management within the borough, including that from ordinary watercourses, many of which are culverted and more than 200 years old.

Bolton Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Nick Peel, said: “The introduction of the Flood and Water Management Act has enabled the council to successfully bid for money to fund the work we are undertaking to help mitigate flood risk across the borough.”

The project is being delivered in two phases. Early in 2013, Lanes were commissioned to carry out CCTV drainage surveys of approximately 2,800m of culverted watercourse in 21 locations across the borough.

The culverts ranged in size from 225mm in diameter to over 2.1m. They were selected because they are in low spots in the topography, near critical infrastructure or adjacent to property and principal routes serving the town; none had been inspected previously.

Lanes teams, based at the Lanes North West England depot in Eccles, Greater Manchester, are now carrying out phase 2 of the scheme, which involves cleaning several sections of culvert in 16 locations.

The survey also identified a small number of other sites where more extensive remedial works will be required.

Ian Clapham, Area Development Manager for Lanes North West, said: “We were able to make sure we had the right teams and equipment planned into a detailed and time-bound programme.

“Our experience working on major highways and flood alleviation projects across the UK means we have been able to meet Bolton Council’s technical and time requirements.”

Councillor Nick Peel added: “The work Lanes are undertaking has helped us to mitigate the risk of flooding in some of the most critical areas of the borough. Furthermore, we now have detailed reports relating to the structural condition of these assets.”