Draining The Council's Resources
Bexley Council is again asking the public to remain vigilant and report any
suspicious behaviour on the borough's highways, after a fourth spate of drain-cover
thefts.
Last week eight cast iron 'gully' covers were stolen in the Bexley and Sidcup
areas. The industrial cast-iron grids are commonly used to cover drains in
gutters at the sides of roads. Leaving the drains exposed causes a serious
safety hazard for both pedestrians and cars.
Cllr Gareth Bacon, Cabinet Member for Environment, says: "Leaving these
deep chambers exposed is extremely dangerous and could lead to serious injury.
If a car's wheel hit the exposed chamber, it could result in a serious accident.
A small child could also become trapped within the chamber below the road.
The consequences of this thoughtless act don't bear thinking about."
The estimated scrap value of the drain covers is about £2. The cost
for Bexley to replace the covers, which includes removing the old frame, re-laying
a new frame, installing a new cover and re-instating the surrounding tarmac
is about £250 per drain.
An emergency crew has been mobilised to replace the stolen covers, but the
Council fears that unless the culprit is caught quickly, replacement costs
could escalate to thousands of pounds.
Tony Hughes, the Council's Head of Area Teams, says: "I urge all pedestrians,
particularly vulnerable groups, such as children and older people, as well
as car drivers, to be aware of this problem when they use the road."
The Council is taking the matter very seriously and has reported the incidents
to the police. Members of the public are asked to report any suspicious activity
to the police, including the registration numbers of vehicles believed to be
involved. All calls will be taken in confidence. After similar reported incidents
last year, police arrested a suspect.
To report further incidents call Bexley Council's Highways and Amenities Team
on 020 8303 7777 (24-hours).
