Flood-hit road where couple died deluged again

Angela Ferguson & Alex Corns - BBC News, Merseyside
·2-min read
A 'road ahead closed' and 'diversion' sign, along with traffic cones closing the road by the railway bridge, at night time
The road was closed on Tuesday night and diversions put in place [BBC]

A Liverpool road where a couple became trapped in their car and died in deep flood water has been left submerged again.

Elaine and Philip Marco got into difficulties on Queens Drive in the Mossley Hill area of the city last August.

The road, which runs under a railway bridge, had reopened in February after a flood alert system was put in place, complete with an early warning system and CCTV.

The system detected rising water levels following heavy rain on Tuesday evening, with barriers activated and diversions put in place - and the road likely to remain closed for more than a week.

A person in a hi-vis jacket walks out from under the railway bridge
The road is expected to remain closed until 19 July at the earliest [BBC]

Local councillor Richard Kemp, who is also Lord Mayor of Liverpool, said: "With that part of Queens Drive being a very deep culvert, water came up through the grids on the Drive just as it did on the night of the tragedy last August."

He said there were "huge inundations of water", with council staff at the scene overnight and a clean-up operation continuing.

"Unbelievably, when the council staff got there they had to physically prevent drivers from entering the culvert from both ends when the illuminated signs were on and the barriers down," he said.

Liverpool City Council said the systems in place including the early warning system, CCTV and barriers had "worked well enabling the council to close the road, warn road users and keep the public safe during this period".

Councillor Richard Kemp wears a navy blue jacket and trousers with lighter blue shirt and jumper, standing next to the cordoned off road, with traffic cones and a 'road closed' sign next to him
Councillor Richard Kemp has been at the scene of the flooding on Queens Drive [BBC]

Mr Kemp said there had been problems with surface water and sewage going into some houses in Herondale Road.

Water firm United Utilities said they were on site and investigating.

The council said Queens Drive would remain closed until a full inspection and clean-up was completed.

Other nearby roads affected by flooding include Longmore Road, Rocky Lane Deysbrook Road, Manderston Drive, Thomas Lane Bridge and Lower Lane.

In the case of any homes being flooded, the council said it would investigate the circumstances.

Diversions were expected to be in place until about 19 July at the earliest, Mr Kemp added.

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