Council takes delivery of new vehicles to clear highway gullies
The delivery of two brand-new specialist cleansing vehicles will improve the condition of roadside drainage gullies across Wirral and reduce the frequency and severity of flooding on many roads.
The new vehicles will be taking to the streets shortly providing a much-needed boost to the council’s existing flagging fleet, providing better reliability and performance, as well as reduced costs to the council.
Some build-up of debris around and within gully grids is unavoidable and the existing vehicles have been helping to reduce the risk of this debris potentially causing blockages that, when combined with the already limited capacity of the drainage system, can cause water to pool during very heavy and prolonged rain.
But after years of increasing maintenance challenges and rising costs associated with the ageing fleet, the Council has made a major investment of nearly £500,000 in commissioning two new state-of-the-art gully cleansing vehicles.
The investment is one of the positive outcomes from a detailed review of the Council’s highway maintenance operations, which highlighted the importance of making sure essential frontline services are as well-equipped as it can to meet the demands of the future.
The need for new gully cleansing vehicles was first identified in 2018 when the existing vehicle returned to Wirral Council following the transfer of services back in-house. Although well-built, it had already seen significant use and was nearing the end of its operational life.
Over time, repairs became more frequent and costly, often requiring specialist contractors and resulting in lengthy periods off the road. To maintain essential drainage services, the Council increasingly relied on hired replacement vehicles, adding further pressure to highway maintenance budgets and highlighting the risks of depending on a vehicle approaching 20 years old.
In response, highways officers worked with colleagues across the Council to review available technology and market options. This led to a business case for two replacement vehicles, which was approved by the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee.
Following a competitive tender process, the contract was awarded to Whale Tankers, whose bid offered strong technical capability, value for money and ongoing support. The vehicles were custom-built to the Council’s specifications over 12 months, with progress closely monitored by Highway Management officers.
The two new vehicles have now been delivered and are ready to support drainage maintenance work across Wirral.
It is important that our essential services have the equipment and support they need to continue maintaining Wirral’s highway drainage network efficiently and effectively.
Replacing ageing vehicles with high-specification alternatives is a no-brainer in the long-term as the new vehicles will bring improved reliability, reduce costs and support safer working conditions for our staff.
Most importantly, they will improve the fundamental service that our residents rightfully expect to be provided and ensure that gullies are cleared more effectively. Please reach out to your local councillors and report any blocked drains or grids for action.
