Information on which drains and gullies in Peterborough we are responsible for, plus our work to maintain them.
FACT: Peterborough City Council maintains approximately 46,000 highway gullies across the city, surrounding villages and rural areas.
Gullies are the grated openings commonly found at the edge of roads, footpaths and public car parks. Their purpose is to collect surface water and direct it away from the highway. Highway gullies are typically the responsibility of the highway authority. Many residents refer to these gullies as 'drains', which is why we have called this page 'Drains and Gullies Myth Buster'. Throughout this page, when we refer to drains, we are generally referring to highway gullies.
Water collected by gullies passes through connecting pipework into a surface water sewer system or, in some locations, directly into a roadside drainage ditch or watercourse.
FACT: Not all gullies in Peterborough are maintained by Peterborough City Council.
We are responsible for gullies located on adopted public highways. Other organisations and landowners may also have responsibilities:
- National Highways is responsible for gullies on the A1 and A47 trunk roads.
- Landowners are responsible for gullies on private roads and land.
- Developers are responsible for gullies within new developments until those roads are formally adopted.
- Anglian Water is responsible for public foul and surface water sewer networks. Highway gullies may connect into the surface water sewer network.
This means that several organisations can have different responsibilities within the same street. For example, Peterborough City Council may maintain the gully, while Anglian Water is responsible for the sewer connected to it.
FACT: This is not true.
We use a specialist gully tanker to clean gullies across Peterborough.
The gully grating is removed, and debris such as silt, leaves and litter is removed using a powerful vacuum hose. High-pressure water is then used to flush the gully and connecting pipework, helping to remove compacted material and blockages. Where a blockage cannot be cleared using standard equipment, a further investigation is arranged, and specialist equipment may be required.
The material removed from gullies is taken to the contractor's depot for processing. Once dried, the material can be recycled for beneficial use. We remove approximately 80 tonnes of waste from gullies each year.
FACT: Gullies are designed to remove normal rainfall from the highway, but they have limitations.
During intense or prolonged rainfall, large volumes of water can reach the highway faster than the drainage network can remove it. This can result in temporary ponding even when gullies are clean and functioning correctly.
FACT: Blocked gullies can contribute to flooding, but they are not always the cause.
Surface water flooding is often caused by the limited capacity of the wider drainage network during periods of heavy rainfall. In some cases, the gully itself is clear, but the connected drainage system may be full or restricted, preventing water from draining away quickly.
FACT: Cleaning gullies does not always solve flooding problems immediately.
A gully may be clean and operational, but if the drainage network it connects to is restricted or operating at full capacity, water can still back up and collect on the highway.
Peterborough City Council operates a rolling programme of gully inspection and cleansing across the city and surrounding villages. In addition, we investigate reports received through our online reporting systems.
Where wider drainage issues are identified, we work with the relevant organisations to help resolve them as quickly as possible.
FACT: Every reported gully is inspected, but this work is in addition to our planned maintenance programme.
Gullies are routinely cleaned on a rolling two-year programme, regardless of whether they have been reported.
Reported gullies help us identify locations that may require earlier attention or further investigation.
FACT: This is not true.
All council-maintained gullies are included within a rolling two-year cleansing programme.
However, there are occasions when a gully cannot be cleaned during a scheduled visit. Common reasons include:
- Vehicles parked over the gully
- A seized or damaged gully cover
- Access restrictions at the time of the visit
Seasonal factors can also affect performance. For example, large volumes of fallen leaves during autumn can temporarily block gully gratings and reduce drainage capacity.
If you see a gully tanker working in your area, please avoid parking over nearby gullies where possible.
FACT: We do.
Where major highway works are planned, gully cleaning is often incorporated into the programme. This helps maximise efficiency, reduce disruption and make the best use of maintenance budgets.
FACT: Not necessarily.
During periods of intense rainfall, some gullies may temporarily overflow or appear blocked because the drainage system is receiving more water than it can immediately remove.
In many cases, the water will drain away naturally once the rainfall eases.
If flooding is creating a hazard for road users, threatening property, or there is significant standing water, please report it immediately.
If the rain has only recently stopped and there is no immediate risk, consider waiting a short period to see whether the water drains away before reporting a blocked gully.
FACT: We do.
If a gully grating or manhole cover is loose, noisy, damaged, sunken or missing, please report it through FixMyStreet or via the Peterborough City Council online reporting system.
Once reported, the issue will be inspected and appropriate action taken.
How to report a drainage issue
Early reporting helps us investigate issues and prioritise repairs where they are needed most.