See separate page for water main
22 May 2023 Partial blockage of foul sewer. One of the team of contractors that came to fix the problem said there could also have been some involvement of the surface water d drain as well. PHOTOS here |
7 March 2022: blocked road drain by No. 20 Jack Straw's Lane
The City Council drain-cleaning vehicle was in the Lane today. The person carrying out the work said the blockage to the drain by No. 20 and to another drain on the south side of the road near it is due to tree roots. The Council is aware that this needs to be sorted out before next winter to prevent accidents being caused by overflowing water, which runs across the road by No. 20, freezing and causing accidents.
The City Council drain-cleaning vehicle was in the Lane today. The person carrying out the work said the blockage to the drain by No. 20 and to another drain on the south side of the road near it is due to tree roots. The Council is aware that this needs to be sorted out before next winter to prevent accidents being caused by overflowing water, which runs across the road by No. 20, freezing and causing accidents.
27 December 2017
A team from Lanes Group Plc visited on behalf of Thames Water following a report of water from No. 22 running onto the road. This is spring water, which runs down the road into the nearest roadside drain (by No. 20). However, if that drain is blocked, the water runs across the roadway to the other side - hazardous in freezing conditions. The engineers could not undertake gully clearance - that is the responsibility of Oxford City Council.
A team from Lanes Group Plc visited on behalf of Thames Water following a report of water from No. 22 running onto the road. This is spring water, which runs down the road into the nearest roadside drain (by No. 20). However, if that drain is blocked, the water runs across the roadway to the other side - hazardous in freezing conditions. The engineers could not undertake gully clearance - that is the responsibility of Oxford City Council.
Jetting carried out on 8 May 2015 was not related to drains
but to clearing mud from the channels carrying telecoms cables prior to laying a new high-speed University communications cable.
but to clearing mud from the channels carrying telecoms cables prior to laying a new high-speed University communications cable.
7 January 2015 roadside drain inlet by No. 20 JSL (south side) blocked by leaves
Oxford City Council has been informed and a team will come to clear the blockage. A request was also made for the road to be swept to clear leaves that have fallen since it was last swept in the autumn and are lying in the gutters.
October/November 2014: blocked surface water drain
Oxford City Council has been informed and a team will come to clear the blockage. A request was also made for the road to be swept to clear leaves that have fallen since it was last swept in the autumn and are lying in the gutters.
October/November 2014: blocked surface water drain
17 November 2014: water was still 'spouting' slightly from around the manhole by No. 6 JSL and running strongly down the roadway - see video taken at 10.45 am, 17 Nov 2014. The person contacted at Thames Water that day said that if a test of the leaking water showed that it contained no chlorine, the leak would be 'nothing to do with them'. However, a second TW person contacted said that it could be their responsibility and an engineer would be sent to investigate. A Thames Water engineer visited the site that day and cleared a blockage in the pipe below the manhole.
15 November 2014: resident living near manhole reported "the metal cover lifted right up with the heavy rain in the last couple of days creating an extra hazard for the road users".
10 November 2014 - 12.30 pm Thames Water engineer arrived to inspect leak from manhole by No. 6. He was a Fresh Water engineer and said he would ask the department responsible for the surface water drains to investigate the problem today.
9 November 2014: after rain, water was again flowing strongly from the manhole by No. 6 - see video. Thames Water were contacted late pm via their leaks website.
3 November 2014: Water was still running from the manhole by No. 6 but not strongly.
21 October 2014: Thames Water engineers were seen in the Lane inspecting the leak.
18 October 2014: Although there had been no rain for some time, water was still running from the manhole by No. 6 Jack Straw's Lane. The amount of water escaping is indicated by the sound of the water eventually running into a roadside drain, at the end of this video, taken on 18 October 2014.
15 November 2014: resident living near manhole reported "the metal cover lifted right up with the heavy rain in the last couple of days creating an extra hazard for the road users".
10 November 2014 - 12.30 pm Thames Water engineer arrived to inspect leak from manhole by No. 6. He was a Fresh Water engineer and said he would ask the department responsible for the surface water drains to investigate the problem today.
9 November 2014: after rain, water was again flowing strongly from the manhole by No. 6 - see video. Thames Water were contacted late pm via their leaks website.
3 November 2014: Water was still running from the manhole by No. 6 but not strongly.
21 October 2014: Thames Water engineers were seen in the Lane inspecting the leak.
18 October 2014: Although there had been no rain for some time, water was still running from the manhole by No. 6 Jack Straw's Lane. The amount of water escaping is indicated by the sound of the water eventually running into a roadside drain, at the end of this video, taken on 18 October 2014.
Manhole by No 6 Jack Straw's Lane
Photo shows how leaking water spreads across the roadway when a surface water drain is blocked and overflows. In very cold weather, ice that would form would be a hazard to motorists and cyclists.
27 December 2017
A team from Lanes Group Plc visited on behalf of Thames Water following a report of water from No. 22 running onto the road. This is spring water, which runs down the road into the nearest roadside drain (by No. 20). However, if that drain is blocked, the water runs across the roadway to the other side - hazardous in freezing conditions. The engineers could not undertake gully clearance - that is the responsibility of Oxford City Council.
A team from Lanes Group Plc visited on behalf of Thames Water following a report of water from No. 22 running onto the road. This is spring water, which runs down the road into the nearest roadside drain (by No. 20). However, if that drain is blocked, the water runs across the roadway to the other side - hazardous in freezing conditions. The engineers could not undertake gully clearance - that is the responsibility of Oxford City Council.
13 - 16 October 2014
After heavy rain, water started to run and then, by night, spurt, from a manhole in the roadway by No. 6 Jack Straw's Lane. Thames Water were informed that night, with photo. Early on 14 October, the water was no longer spurting out but was continuing to run out of the manhole. The heavy rain had stopped by then. Water was still running out on 16 October.
After heavy rain, water started to run and then, by night, spurt, from a manhole in the roadway by No. 6 Jack Straw's Lane. Thames Water were informed that night, with photo. Early on 14 October, the water was no longer spurting out but was continuing to run out of the manhole. The heavy rain had stopped by then. Water was still running out on 16 October.
Installation of new roadside gullies
Excavation of the gullies showed the job to be bigger than had been expected
There had been problems with the roadside gullies at least since July 2007, when blockages were reported. On 14 May 2012 the City Council used high-pressure jetting, combined with a root-cutter, to try and clear the gullies but the drains near 22 JSL and also those on the opposite side of the road by 53 and 49 JSL were still overflowing on 5 June 2012 after rain. At that point it was acknowledged that radical work was needed on the drainage system.
Excavation in May 2013 revealed that more work was needed on the gullies than had been anticipated. Consequently, this stage of the work, under Oxford City Council, took longer than had been expected. The second stage, under Oxfordshire County Council, included the laying of the Imprint section and putting down the bicycle-symbol road markings.
Excavation in May 2013 revealed that more work was needed on the gullies than had been anticipated. Consequently, this stage of the work, under Oxford City Council, took longer than had been expected. The second stage, under Oxfordshire County Council, included the laying of the Imprint section and putting down the bicycle-symbol road markings.
Before the new gullies were laid
Before work on the gullies was undertaken in April/May 2013, the blockage prevented water being taken away by the drain beside No. 20 JSL and the slope of the road surface caused it to spread across the roadway, (as shown in photo above, taken during heavy rain on Sunday, 10 February 2013).
The new gully, if kept clear, will help to prevent this water running across the road but, in winter, freezing temperatures after heavy rain are likely to continue to cause a problem on the pavement by No. 22, with ice forming at the point where the spring crosses the footpath on its way to the roadway.
The new gully, if kept clear, will help to prevent this water running across the road but, in winter, freezing temperatures after heavy rain are likely to continue to cause a problem on the pavement by No. 22, with ice forming at the point where the spring crosses the footpath on its way to the roadway.