The operator of Nottingham’s tram network has been left with a clean-up bill of up to £200,000 after flood water contaminated by sewage spilled onto part of its track. Wilford Lane, where the Wilford Lane Tram Stop is based, flooded again at the beginning of January following a period of heavy rainfall.
The road was also closed last year for four days, leaving some residents trapped in their homes, during Storm Henk. Keolis and its subsidiary Nottingham Trams Limited run the city’s network as part of the Tramlink consortium, under the Nottingham Express Transit (NET) name and branding.
Andrew Conroy, chief operating officer at Tramlink Nottingham, told a meeting to discuss the tram network’s performance, held at Loxley House on Tuesday (January 14), that the flooding on the road had led to significant clean-up costs. “It is very, very simple,” he said. “There is a valve on [Iremongers Pond], water comes out, it closes the valve, and water goes into the pond.
“If water covers that valve, water cannot come out, so that’s when water builds up [in Wilford Lane]. It wasn’t that high this time so we were able to continue to pump off our network.
“But the problem is… it is the road network, and water still comes through the drain system. It has caused quite a lot of problems this time.
“We have got to clean up on the tram network because of what was coming out of the drains. I won’t comment on what was coming out, but it will cost us hundreds of thousands to change the ballast there.”
Mr Conroy told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the ballast – stones that provide a levelled bed and support for the tracks – must be replaced due to contamination by sewage. He said it is estimated the cost of the work will be in the region of £100,000 to £200,000.
Trevor Stocker, head of operations, added: “We attend the tactical coordinating group for the area and we have linked in with that to understand what has been happening with the area.
“As Andrew has highlighted this time the water hasn’t just been the surface water. The water has become contaminated.
“This is something again really that Severn Trent need to be looking at as to how they can control that better in that area. We have plans that we need to replace that ballast because it is contaminated, but it is no good doing all of that work if next winter we are in this position.
“There is work needed in that area to understand what is happening there off the tram network. That Wilford Lane is the main arterial route in and for that road to be closed… it really is an important route. So to find a solution probably lies with others.”
Nottingham City Council said last year discussions between the various risk management authorities have been taking place, as well as investigations into surface water management, sewer and drainage capacity and asset maintenance on Wilford Lane. Severn Trent has been contacted for comment.