Oxfordshire Steps Up £2.6m Drainage Programme to Clear Every Roadside Gully by 2026

Oxfordshire County Council has intensified its maintenance of the county’s roadside drainage network as part of a £2.6 million initiative to service every gully and manhole within a year.

Launched in April 2025, the programme targets almost 145,000 drainage assets, including gullies and manholes, with the goal of completion by March 2026. By the end of October, crews had already cleared around 67,000 drains, which play a critical role in managing surface water run-off and protecting the highway network.

The enhanced programme follows an additional £1.5 million boost in the council’s 2025–26 budget, aimed at improving drainage resilience. The work is being delivered by the council’s highways contractor M Group, with specialist drainage teams from Drainline providing support.

To achieve the ambitious annual target, the number of operational teams has doubled from six to twelve. Teams operate split shifts, enabling maximum use of equipment and quieter traffic conditions in the evenings. Suction units remove built-up silt, followed by high-pressure water jetting to ensure drains are fully cleared. In locations with heavy sediment, manual excavation is undertaken.

Previously, most gullies were cleaned on a four-year cycle, with high-risk areas receiving more frequent attention. However, extreme weather events in recent years have highlighted the need for more comprehensive maintenance.

Councillor Andrew Gant, cabinet member for transport management, said:"We recognised the need to improve drainage, especially following the flooding last year caused by exceptionally wet weather. I’m pleased that, with the additional crews, we are on schedule to complete this ambitious programme. It is a huge task but one that will make a real difference to communities as extreme weather becomes more frequent."

The investment not only funds gully emptying but also upgrades drainage infrastructure to move water off highways more efficiently, helping to reduce pothole formation in freezing conditions. However, even with improved maintenance, the network cannot fully mitigate extreme rainfall events, such as the September 2024 storms when the county experienced a month’s worth of rain in just 36 hours.

Drivers are being asked to keep access to drains clear during scheduled works and to take care around gully-cleaning vehicles. So far this year, approximately 2,500 gullies could not be serviced due to obstructive parked cars.

Richard Lovewell, business director at M Group, said:"In October alone, 17,000 drains were cleansed — more than 10 per cent of the county’s total — thanks to the efforts of our teams. We’re proud to work with Oxfordshire County Council and Drainline on this vital programme. We also appreciate residents who move their vehicles to help our crews access the drains, which makes a big difference to efficiency and coverage."

Modern gully-cleaning vehicles are equipped with asset-tracking technology, enabling accurate data collection and better long-term planning. The system also logs drains that cannot be accessed, ensuring follow-ups are scheduled for blocked or damaged assets.

A full cleaning schedule is available on the council’s website. While teams work systematically across the county, they will continue to respond to urgent flooding or blockages as needed.