A used car dealer has slammed his local council for installing new speed cameras outside of his showroom instead of fixing the roads to prevent flooding, which have been damaging his showrooms for years.
David Maher, boss of Lancashire Auto in Ormskirk, complained that his workshops have been flooded and cars affected by the issue.
He said that “major drainage issues” on the road outside the dealership had caused water to build up and even impact the cars of customers.
Lancashire County Council recently installed new speed cameras outside the dealership, with Maher criticising the decision not to prioritise the flooding.
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The showroom boss claims that his business has suffered “heavy flooding” as a result of a faulty drain on Hayfield Road.
In the latest Google Maps images, a clear build-up of rainwater can be seen along the pavement, with no drain visible along the road.
The used car dealership, which has been in business for 75 years, has been affected by the flooding “for many years”.
David Maher said he had raised concerns to the council multiple times, but has not responded to his fears.
He said: “My principal concern is about heavy flooding on our premises after which I was promised a written response [by the county council] in 22 days.
“We have suffered flooding for many years, and we have also raised the matter, however, it has never been as bad as it was last month when the complete closure of our workshop was threatened, and we were unable to open on several mornings.
“The council is now undertaking work installing signs and cameras above the very drains that are causing me, along with all my employees and customers, such cost, inconvenience and distress,” he told Car Dealer magazine.
The used car dealership keeps around 50 vehicles in stock at all times and is an authorised Ford repair workshop, having previously been a Ford main dealer.
With the installation of the new cameras, David Maher is concerned that the building work will also have a large impact on his business.
He said it would “undoubtedly” have an impact on the traffic in the area on the A59 main road.
While the cameras are being installed, Maher fears that the flooding could continue, especially with the winter weather starting to sweep the nation.
Maher claimed that contractors had recently been in the area using pressure washers to clear the drains, but added that he was sceptical over whether it would fix the issue.
He is now threatening legal action against the council if he does not get a resolution to the problem.
A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: “We have responded to reports of our highways drains becoming blocked in the Hayfield Road area.
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Maher said the flooding had impacted his dealership
GOOGLE MAPS
“Our investigations identified that the cause of surface water flooding appeared to be a problem with a sewer owned by United Utilities, and understand that they are currently carrying out repairs which should resolve the issue.”
