Rue Cohu resident says blocked drain caused car crash
A four-car traffic accident along Rue Cohu last week could have been prevented if a blocked drain on the road had been cleared, according to a resident living nearby.
Colin Harrison said he reported the blockage of the drain by the entrance to the KGV to Traffic & Highway Services two days before Christmas, after the road flooded following wet weather.
Temperatures dropped below zero last Thursday night, causing water to freeze over and black ice to form along Rue Cohu, which could have led to the incident on Friday morning during rush hour. Police have been investigating.
Mr Harrison said he had warned of the possibility of ice forming in the cold weather, and the subsequent increased chance of a crash occurring if no drain clearance work was undertaken, during his phone call with THS.
‘I spoke to a young lady to report that this could cause an accident if it froze up, and a week later that is exactly what happened,’ he said.
‘It would have been avoided if there had been prompt action. Thankfully no one was hurt only by sheer luck.’
He added that he had contacted THS again in the aftermath of Friday’s incident, asking why what he described as a ‘five-minute job’ of clearing the drain had not been carried out after his initial call more than a week earlier.
‘I did not receive an explanation,’ he said.
THS was contacted for comment yesterday.
The road was flooding again yesterday following intermittent periods of heavy rain and hail.
A resident of Rue Cohu for the last five years, Mr Harrison hoped the blockages would be dealt with before the next cold snap, to prevent a similar accident from happening again.
‘Not once in my time living here have I ever seen the drains being cleared, but something needs to happen and quickly.’
