Business owners' anger at 15-year flooding issue

Carl Belford said the flooding had been an issue for 15 years

A business owner has said flooding issues in Stoke-on-Trent have been causing him to lose trade.

Carl Belford, director of Belford Brothers Skip Hire, said he was frustrated with the flooding on Chemical Lane, Longport, which he said had been an issue for 15 years.

He said the situation was affecting his sleep due to the stress of the impact it was having on the business.

Staffordshire County Council said it was working towards a permanent solution.

Network Rail has been working with the council to find a solution, as the railway line runs alongside Chemical Lane.

Mr Belford said it was making it almost impossible for the company to operate.

He said: "It's going to cause damage to my vehicles and customers can’t get to me because their vehicles are too small."

He added that it was becoming "more or less an impossible situation".

Mr Belford said the flooding was making it almost impossible for the business to operate

Phillip Moore runs the Mores Metals scrapyard, which relies on lorries coming into the yard to collect metal.

He said that due to the flooding, lorries would not come into the site as drivers presumed there was metal under the puddles and did not want to risk getting a puncture.

Mr Moore added: "It seems the only solution to the tenants and owners of the properties around here is to say 'look let’s stop paying our business rates until this is sorted out’."

A spokesperson for Staffordshire County Council said it had a temporary solution in place to pump any excess water from the road.

“However, we continue to work with the various parties on the design of a more permanent scheme," they added.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "We have checked the drainage under the railway and there are no issues, however the local stream owned by a third party is blocked and can back up onto the road.

"We will continue to work with the council to see how we can help clear the road for local residents and businesses as soon as possible.”