Help and advice on the maintenance of road gullies in the public roads network.
For detailed information on road gullies, their maintenance and how to report issues, explore the pages in this section. You can also watch our short video below for an in-depth look at road gullies.
Drainage - help and advice
Surface water is normally drained off roads by gullies and grips.
Gullies are usually connected by pipe work to a carrier drain which carries the water to an outfall or soakaway where the water disperses. Sometimes in urban areas, the gullies will be connected to the foul sewer, which is maintained by Scottish Water.
In rural areas, drainage is often by grips (or offsets) which discharge the water into ditches or onto the surrounding ground.
We cannot guarantee to keep the road network free from puddles. The effects of age, settlement or traffic can cause depressions to form in the road surface, preventing the water from running off. Exceptional rainfall, runoff from adjacent land, and rising river levels can cause roads to flood even when the drainage is in good working order.
Gully cleaning and maintenance
We regularly clean out carriageway gullies that collect the water from the road, and arrange special visits by gully tankers to respond to sudden blockages. Gullies are cleaned out Biennial, with reactive cleansing more often in problem (Flood Risk) areas.
Road drainage problems are identified by the regular inspections of the network, by calls to Clarence, or as a result of reports from the public, and appropriate action is taken to deal with the problems that are identified. Sometimes flooding is caused by burst water mains, and Scottish Water is responsible for repairing these.
Reporting a problem
You can use our online form to report:
- Blocked drains
- Damaged or missing drain cover
- Damaged or missing manhole cover
- Accidentally dropped items (e.g. keys) into a gully
- Road spillages
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